Canadians have had legal access to medical aid in dying (MAID), the preferred term there, since June 2016. The Canadian law does not limit MAID to those who are expected to die within six months, as is the case in those USA and Australian states that permit assisted dying, (the 'Oregon model'). Instead their law [...]
Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the number of deaths attributed to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia continues to rise. 1 in 8 of all deaths in England and Wales were caused by dementia in 2018. For women over 80 the figure rises to 1 in 4. A defining [...]
Dignity in Dying have published a hard-hitting report on how unpleasant the realities of dying in the UK today can be for some people. The report 'The Inescapable Truth. How seventeen people a day will suffer as they die' is available in full as a 92 page PDF file here. It is also available in [...]
Two recent news stories concerning suicide inquests demonstrate again how the current assisted suicide law prevents people who are incurably suffering having the peaceful death they would choose. Reports in the Mirror and the Guardian cover the inquest into the death of Ralph Snell, 94, who took a mix of morphine and sleeping pills to [...]
To mark the tenth anniversary of Debbie Purdy's landmark assisted dying case, which resulted in the current Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) guidelines on the Assisted Suicide law, My Death, My Decision has published an open letter to the incoming Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, calling for a review [...]
The common understanding of the term "terminal illness" is 'a disease or condition which can’t be cured and is likely to lead to someone’s death.' This can apply to advanced cancer, dementia (including Alzheimer's), motor neurone disease (MND/ALS), advanced heart disease and many other illnesses. However, the term is used in a more restrictive sense [...]
On 4th July 2019 the House of Commons had the first opportunity to debate assisted dying since the Marris Bill failed in September 2015. The debate can be seen in full here. Prior to the debate MDMD circulated this briefing to MPs. Nick Boles MP opened the debate by contrasting the death of his father, [...]
LBC's Nick Ferrari interviewed Alzheimer's sufferer Alex Pandolfo about his plans to end his life in Switzerland. The moving video is available on line. Nick gently probes Alex's motivation for wanting to end his life, and discusses how he will decide when the time is right for him. Alex is clear: I don't want to [...]
MDMD is greatly encouraged in its campaign by the news that both the BMA and RCGP are to consult their members on their view of assisted dying. Precise details are yet to be announced and we will follow these developments closely. Earlier this year the RCP poll resulted in a move from opposed to neutral, [...]
A recent article in the Washington Post describes a group of residents of a retirement community in Philadelphia who hold clandestine meetings to discuss their desires for a rational end of life when they feel the time is right for them. Avoiding end stage dementia is cited as one of their particular concerns. The article [...]