Assisted Dying legislation would reduce violent suicides – new evidence (12 May 2006)
Assisted Dying legislation would reduce violent suicides – new evidence
New evidence from USA shows assisted dying laws has extended lives of the vulnerable.
Evidence from Oregon, USA, where terminally ill people can choose carefully regulated medical help to die, shows many have been prevented from committing violent suicides specifically because of this law.
Oregon’s terminally ill patients have been able to self-administer end-of-life medication legally since 1997. Oregon authorities say they are aware of 94 terminally ill people who have been dissuaded from committing violent suicide because the option of a safe, legal assisted death was available to them.
Dignity in Dying’s Chief Executive Deborah Annetts said:
“Evidence from the USA shows that having assisted dying legislation allows many terminally ill people to go on living longer and prevents violent suicide.”
Prevented Violent Suicides and How they Actually Died
|
Cause of Death |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
Total |
|
Natural |
4 |
2 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
9 |
6 |
4 |
50 |
|
Hastened using DDA* |
3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
30 |
|
VSED** |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
|
Terminal sedation/double effect |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
Totals |
10 |
6 |
14 |
13 |
20 |
13 |
11 |
7 |
94 |
*DDA – Death with Dignity Act
**VSED – voluntarily stopped eating and drinking
The figures, from Oregon patient based body, Compassion and Choices, show that of 94 people who were prevented from committing suicide, 50 went on to die of natural causes.
Deborah Annetts said,
“This evidence suggests that for many terminally ill people, assisted dying legislation acts as an insurance policy. Just knowing that the option of a safe, legal peaceful death is there, should people need it, is enough to prolong life.
“Every year Dignity in Dying is contacted by hundreds of terminally ill people who are coming to the end of their lives and who want the option of medical help to die. Our law does not allow them this option and unfortunately many of these people come to consider suicide as their only way out. These people need more help and support which is what the Bill in Parliament provides.”
The Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill will have its second reading in the House of Lords this Friday 12 May.