It is reported that politicians in Guernsey are considering new efforts to legalise assisted suicide in 2027; Deputies there voted 24-14 against such a law in 2018 (and 37-1 in favour of a review of palliative and end of life care).
Dr Macdonald told the BBC:
‘”Legislators would be better fixing end-of-life care, which includes palliative and social care on the island.”
He added: “Legislators must also reflect on the dangers of legalising the use of dangerous death row drugs to end a person’s life.”
Macdonald said the Christa Pike case in the US, who survived an execution attempt by lethal injection, “highlights the problematic use of pentobarbital, and other similar drugs that are widely used by the handful of jurisdictions that legalising assisted dying”.
He called for legislators to review the evidence carefully and “fix the failing palliative and social care systems before even considering a dangerous change to the law”.
“We need much more care, not killing,” he said.’
(Image: Public Domain/Creative Commons)
