Cork GP calls for assisted dying
A Cork GP has called for the option of medically assisted dying for those suffering with a terminal illness.
Dr Andy Lyne, who spoke before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying this week, says that opting for the timing of one's death should be considered a reasonable choice for individuals facing the progression of a terminal illness.
The Oireachtas Committee is currently exploring the possibility of introducing laws for voluntary assisted dying in Ireland. It is expected to conclude discussions next spring and will release a report detailing its recommendations in March.
Dr Lyne, who is Chairperson of MAiD (Irish Doctors supporting Medical Assistance in Dying), a group of over 100 doctors who support the legalisation of assisted dying, argues that while many people would prefer to take palliative care, “for others their choice would be to have an assisted death".
However, he believes that the option should be restricted to adults who have "capacity". “Capacity means that they have the ability to understand what their position is, and that they can give an informed consent,” he told the Cork Independent.
“They should have a terminal illness and it is reasonable to have a prognostic clause in it that the person would have a 6 month prognosis, or they are in an advanced state of physical decline,” he said.
MAiD also recommend that individuals considering a medically assisted death would undergo a reflection period of two weeks, shortened to five days for those with a shorter prognosis. Additionally, two independent medical assessments by trained doctors would be mandatory for the process.
Dr Feargal Twomey, a consultant in palliative medicine at the Royal College of Physicians, offered an opposing view at the Oireachtas Commitee, saying that the potential harms of assisted dying outweigh the arguments in its favour.
“When someone expresses a desire to die, we need to be sure we are exploring the nuance in the expressed desire to die and having a deep conversation that includes all of the options available,” he told the joint committee.
However, Dr Lyne maintains that not permitting assisted dying robs the patient of their autonomy.
“I have had patients who requested assisted dying from me. They were in significant distress, they were receiving palliative care, but it was never going to give them adequate relief other than doing so through terminal sedation.
“The people involved did not want that, but that’s what they had to do because they had no other choice. Their choice would have been to pick a time and moment where they could choose to end their suffering,” he said.
“And in the context where you have someone who has a limited life in front of them, I think that’s a reasonable choice for a human being to make, and it shouldn’t be stopped because of the requirement of others,” he added.
In 1993, the Criminal Law (Suicide) Act 1993 decriminalised suicide in Ireland. However, the act of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring” the suicide of another person remains a criminal offence. Patients do have the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment. A legal challenge against the prohibition of assisted dying was brought by Marie Fleming in 2012. The High Court dismissed the case in January 2013, and a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court was also rejected later that year.
Other countries
Countries that permit assisted dying have observed a steady rise in the number of individuals seeking assistance with the process. European nations, including Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium, who have longstanding experience with assisted dying, have witnessed continuous increases.
In 2011, euthanasia cases surpassed 1,000 in Belgium, reaching 2,000 in 2015. In 2022 there were 2,966 registered euthanasia cases in the country.