Swiss Hospitals Agree to Help Kill Patients

Christian Newswire ^ | 01/02/06

[palmer]

As the article I posted points out, the hospital is allowing a suicide advocacy group to enter the hospital to look for victims. That is far different from giving doctors a greater range of treatment options (e.g. no resuscitation, pain relief only, etc)

[ricardobaltazar]

"Anything worthwhile?" I guess that's all subjective. The fact that you are alive is worthwhile, especially to surrounding family members who love you, but that's only my humble opinion. Bear with me :)

Well yes, it is subjective, which is exactly my point. You make an excellent point about living wills and making one's wishes known beforehand. I believe that it is a personal choice for one to make.

[kstewskis]

Yes we agree on that.

Death is personal.

Welcome to FR, ricardob. May 2006 be a very healthy one!

[ricardobaltazar]

As the article I posted points out, the hospital is allowing a suicide advocacy group to enter the hospital to look for victims. That is far different from giving doctors a greater range of treatment options (e.g. no resuscitation, pain relief only, etc)

The article also states:

Patients wishing to take their own lives must have expressed a persistent wish to die, be of sound mind, suffer from an incurable disease and carry out the final act themselves.

I can't say that I agree with allowing an outside group enter into a hospital but I also can't say that aiding patients who want to end their life and must commit the act themselves is "looking for victims".

[Just A Nobody]

I believe that it is a personal choice for one to make.

Okay, I'll give you that...it is your personal choice. The problem comes when you want someone else to do the deed for you.

Get yourself a handy do-it-yourself suicide kit and keep it close by in case the need arises. Leave others out of your personal choice.

[ricardobaltazar]

Okay, I'll give you that...it is your personal choice. The problem comes when you want someone else to do the deed for you. Get yourself a handy do-it-yourself suicide kit and keep it close by in case the need arises. Leave others out of your personal choice.

There is a difference though between someone willingly assisting you and someone being forced to do so.

[Just A Nobody]

Are you related to Jim Jones???

[palmer]

The advocacy group members are strangers, do not know the patients, have only a single purpose - to help people who may be suffering end their lives. Their definition of suffering may not be the same as yours or mine, they include people with early stages of Alzheimers and other progressive incurable diseases. These diseases are often accompanied by anxiety and depression in the early stages which clouds the judgement of the victims. The groups are given lethal doses of barbituates by doctors who may not have made their own determination of the patients wishes.

[Dutch Boy]

"Hey, doctors have been killing patients for centuries."

No need to go out the way to assist in a suicide. Just send them to a country with socialized medicine like Canada.
http://www.hartelaw.com/medmistakes.htm

* As many as 24,000 patients die each year due to adverse events.
* 87,500 patients admitted annually to Canadian acute care hospitals experience an adverse event (mistake).
* 1:13 adult patients admitted to a Canadian hospital encounter an adverse event.
* 1:19 adults will potentially be given the wrong medication or wrong medication dosage.
* 37% of adverse events are 'highly' preventable.
* 24% of preventable adverse events are related to medication error.
* the most common areas for an adverse event to occur was surgery followed by medicine related errors.

[ricardobaltazar]

Like I stated, I don't feel comfortable with these groups being allowed to operate in the hospital. I do however, believe that those who are truly qualified, i.e. medical professionals should be allowed to assist a patient to end their own life.

[lizma]

The Hippocratic oath was axed in 1974 following Rowe vs. Wade (It stated no abortions) and replaced by a "feel good" Code of Ethics.

[usmcobra]

Nothing is stopping you from doing the "right" thing now.

[lizma]

Get yourself a handy do-it-yourself suicide kit

Believe it or not, a large bottle of aspirin would do the trick and your family could sue Walgreens after the deed is done! A win-win situation/s

[BJClinton]

Welcome to Free Republic!

While I would like the option for ending things on my terms, I don't want to mix up those that should try to save my life and those that will help me end it.

[palmer]

I do however, believe that those who are truly qualified, i.e. medical professionals should be allowed to assist a patient to end their own life.

I don't believe in helping depressed persons kill themselves. I have known depressed people including my mom who has Parkinsons. I would never consider letting a doctor who advocated or supported suicide in any way talk to her no matter what "qualifications" he might have. I do not plan to be around such doctors or advocates when my time comes. Of course by then I might not have a choice thanks to these "progressive" groups.

[ricardobaltazar]

Would you be opposed then to a seperate, medically qualified entity being allowed to do so? Not a random group with an agenda, roaming the hospitals but actual professionals?

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Don't worry RB, just convince a doctor you're an unborn child and they'll line up to kill you.

Life is cheap, you should have have no problem finding a willing murderer here, let alone in Switzerland.

[Alouette]

Will they euthanize the depressed and the unemployed?

[BJClinton]

Would you be opposed then to a seperate, medically qualified entity being allowed to do so?

That would be the ideal. Once a doctor, who has sworn to do everything within his power to save life, has verified that a condition is terminal then, and only then, a fast-track hospice could be in order.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Life Unworthy of Life