'Do-it-yourself' euthanasia clinic to open in Britain

[NVMojo]

Remember "Soylent Green"???

Published: 09 October 2005
A controversial Swiss clinic which has helped nearly 40 British people commit suicide is to open an office in the UK because of growing demand, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Zurich-based Dignitas has begun discussions about setting up a British branch, even though it is illegal here to help someone commit suicide. In the past three years, 37 Britons have killed themselves at its clinic. It claims to have hundreds more British members.

more...

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article318235.ece

[Taxloss]

1. I think the "Soylent Green" metaphor only applies

if the dead people are turned into food.

Dignitas will face a huge fight here.

[NVMojo]

3. do you not recall that there is a point in the movie where the people

can go set up their own "death" in a clinic??? That's the same point here ...not the title of the movie ...

[Taxloss]

4. Yes, to the strains of the "Pastoral Symphony".

A very moving scene.

Then their bodies get turned into nutritious biscuits. That doesn't happen yet in real life.

[Delphinus]

14. Yet.

That word is key - yet.

[rfkrfk]

5. how are the people killed?

if with poison, the bodies would
not be suitable for use in Soylent Green.

[Angry Girl]

20. Ha! Think THAT stops the FDA?

Think population control. Phillip Morris has taught the government a thing or two.

Nightweed's Hurricane Katrina Aid Organizations

[daleo]

2. People are dying to get in.

I thought I might as well get that out of the way.

[HuffleClaw]

9. so, what yer saying is they won't

accept a post-dated cheque for payment ?

[sandnsea]

6. Only the rich can afford to die in peace

The poor must suffer painful deaths. That will be the story in 20 years, not that the poor are being forced to die. There's money to be made in assisted suicide too.

[nvliberal]

16. Are you kidding?

Heroic efforts will be made to save the rich, while the poor, the elderly, the handicapped, in short, those considered by the "right to die" mavens and their filthy ilk in the "bioethics" crowd as "useless eaters" and expendable, will be killed.

All too many liberals and "progressives" have an odd, odd, odd notion of what "freedom" and "choice" is all about, but the Hemlock Society propagandists (the organization isn't called that anymore) have done one hell of a con on people.

Hitler would have been proud.

[sandnsea]

19. No, I live in Oregon

We've had assisted suicide for 8 years with only 200 deaths. Your scenario just isn't happening, not remotely. As I told you the other day, it turns out people love their families and don't want them dead. In 20 years, assisted suicide will be too expensive for anybody but the rich, like dental care and psychiatrists.

[FrankX]

21. Euthanasia is good for health insurance companies bottom line.

Much cheaper to euthanize or help with suicide, than to treat long term disease. Big business is a winner on this one.

[sadiesworld]

7. Is it reasonable to believe that there

are forces at work whose sole purpose is to divide us?

:shrug:

[delete_bush]

8. When they open a drive-thru

window, let me know. Otherwise too much trouble.

[Rainscents]

10. LOL

[LifeDuringWartime]

13. how about one of these

[delete_bush]

18. Death with dignity, I like it!

[On the Road]

33. "You Have Chosen -- Slow and Painful Death"

AAHHHHH!

[ixion]

11. Welcome to the Monkey Cage

seems to be becoming more true everyday... now if we only had a concoction of dandelions and mud that would make us immortal, and some hot chicks in purple jumpsuits, I think we'd be good to go.

Really though, as one who believes in an individual's right to choose when they exit stage left, as it were, I'm glad to see it catching on.

[nvliberal]

15. "Right to choose," my foot.

Pretty soon this "right to choose" will infect this country, and, given our piss-poor health care system, it will be "right" to kill, which is what the "death with dignity" crowd is all about.

It's just a new form of the old eugenics, but most self-styled progressives simply can't see it for what it is.

[FrankX]

22. I have to agree.

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. Eugenics?

You mean they're killing people before they breed? Have you any evidence for that?

[napi21]

27. I listened to a panel on cspan the other day about this.

I recall one panelist being the daughter of a woman who chose the Die with Dignity about a year ago, after a lengthy and very painful ilness. Another was a woman who has cancer, and is going through treatment, but she said she will know when there are no treatments left that will do anything, and she opted for the DWD. The third was a man who I believe was a lawyer who had been in a severe accident and permanently disabled. He related that when he first realized he would always be in a wheelchair and ongoing pain, he did think about suicide, but has changed his mind. He also is a member of the DWD group, and was very good at explaining it's benefits.

All of them were very specific in explaining that this is not assisted suicide, and the participant must be concious and sane, and make the final decision themselves.

I support the Oregon DWD laws, and I hope the SC does as well.

[sonicx]

28. in the 7 years since the swiss clinic opened, 453 people have used it

that includes foreigners.

hardly an "infection."

[Tesha]

31. I suspect you've never been close to someone as they die a long, lingering

I suspect you've never been close to someone as they die a long,
lingering, ugly, painful death. I have (several times) and so
for me, there are very clear advance directives, medical powers-
of-attorney, and the like all carefully filled out, and handed
to all the appropriate relatives and doctors.

Eugenics has *NOTHING* to do with my choices; the choices were
made to minimize my suffering and the suffering of those around
me.

Tesha

[superconnected]

35. I've been around it, but they wanted to live...

[Tesha]

30. That's "Monkey House", not "Monkey Cage". :-)

And there does seem to be a definite surplus of ex-Howard
Johnson restaurants still around; how much could it cost
to paint their roofs purple?

Tesha

[redwitch]

12. Don't buy stock in this company.

They are SO not gonna get repeat business!

[Nihil]

29. *snort*

But watch out for the guy who goes back after three days and asks for
a refund ...

[Gyre]

17. If this had only been around when Dr. David Kelly

was going to be interviewed by the BBC, Blair wouldn't have had to go to the trouble of "suiciding" him. :(

Gyre

[VegasWolf]

23. Heard that the service there was "to die for!" nt

[brentspeak]

24. Frightening

[Kailassa]

26. If I trusted government

I'd be all in favour of legalized euthanasia.

But ...

[bleedingheart]

32. Perhaps people wouldn't want to die if they were medicated properly

many MD's in our country do not understand the necessity of palliative care.

I had a friend whose 3 year old died of leukemia and the doctors were very "stingy" about the pain meds for the little gal. She was terminally ill, no hope and the poor mite was suffering more than she should have. Finally towards the end they helped make her far more comfortable and she died at peace in her parents arms.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

34. That's incredibly sad

When my mother went through her final illness we were warned she could become addicted to morphine. What? She was dying of cancer! We gave her all she needed. It is so horrible to see loved ones in terrible pain.

Fewer people would want to die if insurance companies covered the cost of preventive care and treatment, if pre-existing conditions didn't become out-of-pocket expenses when people switch insurers, if people could afford better treatment for mental problems that lead to physical ailments...ah but I'm dreaming.