MDMD’s Campaigns and Communication Manager, Keiron McCabe, breaks down the judgement behind Omid’s defeat. On Tuesday 2nd October 2018, Omid T’s assisted dying case , known as R (on the Application of T) v Ministry of Justice [2018] EWHC 2615 (Admin), lost at its first hurdle in the High Court. In order to challenge the UK’s [...]
MDMD's Campaigns and Communications Manager, Keiron McCabe, spoke exclusively with “Endgame” director Andi Reiss about Omid’s journey. Andi was present at Omid's medically assisted suicide in Switzerland. Photo: Omid and Andi, shortly before Omid's death at Lifecircle Switzerland. Photo credit: Andi Reiss How did you first become interested in the issues around Assisted Dying? My [...]
Omid T: A Legacy of Bravery, Compassion and Empowerment Photo: Omid and Dr Erika Preisig at Lifecircle, shortly before his medically assisted death. Photo Credit - Andi Reiss I'm glad you're here; thank you, thank you for everyone's support - Omid (1964 - 2018) On October 4th 2018, assisted dying campaigner, Omid T chose to [...]
The latest stage of Omid’s legal case to be allowed an assisted death in the UK was heard in the High Court on 7/8th March 2018. The Daily Mail reported it here. Omid’s legal team argued for the right to cross-examine expert witnesses – in particular to question the written evidence given by Baroness Ilora [...]
The BBC report the case of 81 yr old Brenda Grant who was kept alive for 22 months by artificial feeding, against the instructions in her Advance Decision, (AD), because the AD had been mislaid in her medical notes. The case is horrifying. People write ADs in order to refuse treatment at the end of [...]
The Daily Telegraph has been following another case relating to assisted suicide / murder. Pharmacist Bipin Desai was accused of giving his 85 year old father a lethal drink containing concentrated morphine stolen from the pharmacy where he worked. The high court judge threw out the charge of murder, allowing Mr Desai to go free [...]
The Daily Mail recently reported a case of a 74 year old woman in a minimally conscious state, whose daughter has won a court case to have her mother's life support turned off. The NHS Trust involved, acting in the patient's "best interests", wished to continue treatment, but this was over-ruled by the judge. It [...]
Omid T suffers from Multiple Systems Atrophy. An incurable condition which has permanently reduced his quality of life below the level he is able to accept. It is not a terminal condition - he may have to continue suffering against his will for many years. Omid is taking legal action to request medical assistance to [...]
The BBC, and a number of newspapers, (see the Ayrshire Post), report the story of Ian Gordon who smothered his wife of 46 years with a pillow as "a final act of love" to relieve her pain and suffering. Did he do the right thing? The judge's explanation in sentencing, though interesting, doesn't really help. [...]
In a landmark ruling a judge has ruled that in future, in decisions concerning the withdrawal of life-support, including artificial feeding and hydration, a judge's consent is no longer required in cases where medical opinion and relative's wishes agree that the cessation is in the patient's best interests. The story is reported widely, including by [...]