Patient dignity: a matter of life and death

摘要

Written over 10 years ago, this excerpt from an article by Meier et al (1997) in the Annals of Internal Medicine illustrates just how far we have not come with regard to patient choice in its truest and most terminable form -voluntary euthanasia and the right to a choice to die with dignity. Over a decade has passed, a range of high profile (but unsuccessful) legal battles have ensued, and media and public furore has raged on, but where are we now? What have we achieved in the UK to assist our terminally ill patients reaching their end of life to the choice to end their own lives with dignity, when they want and on their own terms? Nothing. Under UK law, helping somebody die still carries a sentence of up to 14 years.