Prevention Of Suicide

It saddens us to learn that there are many people in the U.K crippled with pain and who are contemplating assisted suicide. It seems to us that most types of pain are inadequately treated and that morphine and pain killers are not the only solutions.

This chapter does not delve into the ethics of assisted suicide; such discussions are outside the ambit of what we are trying to achieve. Death is inevitable. But if we can minimise some of the pain and help somebody improve his quality of life that would in itself be a great privilege and our greatest satisfaction.

It seems to us that the United States is the only country in the World where a patient's ability to pay will determine his access to the quality of health care. Assisted suicide in Switzerland is not a cheap thing either; although we have no knowledge of the precise figures, common sense suggests that it will cost several thousand pounds. But there is another emotional aspect to it. Such patients are also deprived and denied of the satisfaction of dying in one's home. First of all, it involves a trip to Switzerland with the full knowledge that one is going there to die! Given a choice, most if not all would prefer to pass away peacefully in the comfort of one's home.

We also appreciate that there is no magic bullet or universally accepted formula for the relief of pain and suffering but it is also true that many doctors are not sufficiently trained to handle the emotional aspect of it all! Therefore, if terminally ill people are given adequate treatment which includes the emotional aspect, requests for physician assisted suicide can be greatly reduced.

It also saddens us to know that the greater majority of conventionally trained physicians only know how to prescribe pain killers and are either very concerned with their addictions or show a callous attitude towards them. Two of the pain killers with extremely addictive properties are morphine and heroin. We know with a fair degree of certainty that many people would want to continue living if their pain is almost manageable and with emotional encouragement would want to continue to live. There is another aspect to it. Pain killers which cause addictions and side effects are not the only solutions.