The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7391 p286
11 March 2006

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Doctors knowingly hasten death, report concludes

New research shows that 62 per cent of 202 GPs surveyed believe that doctors sometimes administer pain relief to terminally ill patients knowing that it will hasten their death. The research by GP NET (NOP) is highlighted in “Dignity in dying — the report” published by campaign body Dignity in Dying (formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society) this week.

The report says that this practice, which takes place without safeguards, accountability or transparency, is widespread and estimates that 192,000 patients may have their lives ended in this way each year.

The report also looks at the public’s attitude to assisted dying and highlights that two decades of polling have consistently found that over 80 per cent of the public think the law should allow competent terminally ill adults to die in this way.

The report sets out the latest version of the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, which is due to receive its second reading in the House of Lords in May (PJ, 21 January, p67).

The Bill provides for assisted suicide, where a doctor prescribes medicines which the patient must then self-administer to end his or her life.