Why Choice is an Illusion?

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

A Settled and Informed Decision to be Killed Will be Impossible to Ensure

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

A long-awaited bill to legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales was introduced and is likely to be debated on November 29.  A report by Paul Godfrey for UPI news on November 2 states:
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a so-called private members' bill introduced by Labor MP Kim Leadbeater, would legalize assisted dying for mentally competent patients in England and Wales who have made a "clear, settled and informed decision" and have not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure.

Kim Leadbeater states that this is the tightest assisted dying bill in the world. ...

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will soon provide a further analysis of the bill.  From the outset the concept that the person has made a "clear, settled and informed decision" to be killed and has not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure will be impossible to ensure.  These words are only a "sales technique" to convince politicians to support the bill.