Thoughtful post as always.Palliative sedation to assist patients in end of life care with a painful death has been going on for decades for patients with terminal cancer - Morphine is gradually increased until the patient slips into deeper sleep and then the “last dose” is given - I have never had an issue with that..
There’s probably strong arguments that we should be managing pain better in people with non-terminal but very painful chronic health conditions but even in that scenario, a 40 year old with ALS or other motor neuron/neurological diseases that results in severe decline of physical function, should have the freedom to choose. PAS (physician assisted suicide) and palliative morphine treatment has societal and human dignity value imo. My father died at home with his family around him and after his morphine had been upped steadily over the previous 76 hours - he went peacefully and having not been in too much pain as a result (although the pain of his heart stopping was evident on his semi-conscious face)
My support is for those who are younger too, with very painful terminal or chronic life conditions. I myself have discussed this a number of times with doctors in recent months due to the longterm severe pain level and fatigue and increasing loss of mobility due my incurable neurological conditions - I can completely understand how one can get to a stage that carrying on living is just exhausting and quality of life is so diminished when you have incurable illnesses that it is simply too hard to struggle on with - you have just had enough. I have been close to that point many times in the past year and said only last week to my GP that although I don’t feel suicidal, at times I am simply ready to stop living (like a very elderly person lying in a hospital bed, at the point that they are just ready to ‘let go’.)
So I support it fully - my choice is increased morphine doses until the “last dose”.
Anyway probably not in one of these though - they are too reminiscent of “eugenics and social Darwinism “ for my liking. I would wonder how far off into the future could it be before we saw these available at our nearest shopping mall along with AI medical diagnostic clinics?
“You have been diagnosed with alzeimers/cancer/MS - you will find the suicide pod in the first room on your left should you chose to exit life now - if not, please leave the way you came in”
The cancer morphine scenario is very specific. My mentor's dad had terminal cancer in the 1960s on the Isle of Wight (he was a prison officer). His doctor was very careful to explain exactly how much morphine was too much (this was self administration). One night the old fellah died in his sleep. Nothing was said.
