MAiD in the UK

[Kali_Yuga13]

I came across some news about a physician assisted suicide bill brought to UK Parliament in October. Apparently there's was an ad campaign in the subways to gather support. The ads show comfy happy people with a "My dying wish is..." type of statement. Of course the actual bill is for people with 6 months or less to live. The ads were countered by prominently taping a Samaritans support number over the picture.

I have mixed feelings about the ad campaign. One of the ads has a person paying a guitar and there's a prominent "Fender" logo which is a top manufacturer of guitars. I can't see how they'd be okay with this without being a sponsor of the bill. One of the publics' fears in assisted dying is abuse by the state to rid itself of undesirables and pensioners or the emergence of a corporatized profit-driven model grossly incentivizing suicide.

What are your thoughts on corporate endorsed advertising for physician assisted suicide?

 

[Lightkeeper]

What are your thoughts on corporate endorsed advertising for physician assisted suicide?

I mean there was a time when some company in Bolivia privatized water and raised prices so high that many couldn't afford to drink, so someone trying to profit from people wanting to CTB hardly even rises my eyebrows. I don't want to sound like some commie but in capitalism you'll always have the strong preying on the weak, it's just the way it is.

Also am I the only one who thinks these ads are weird af in a first place? Especially with the people dancing and being all joyful... Feels so dystopian to me.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I'm so relieved that the UK is finally considering legalising assisted suicide for the terminally ill. It's kind of too much to hope for maybe at the moment that it could be extended to a broader range of people but, it's a start.

Personally, it troubles me that this would be government run. I think it ought to be government regulated certainly. Maybe even with a standardised pricing structure but, I think the companies that run it should be private. Not NHS staff either. That was one criticism I read in an article- that these centres would draw money away from the NHS and NHS staff would be moved into ending life when they signed up to save it. I definitely think funding needs to be kept separate otherwise- we could see criticism or the reality of money being spent on ending life rather than treating illness.

As far as the law goes though- this is something that needs to be legalised before they start to get down to the nitty-gritty of how it will be implemented. For that- it needs public awareness and, public support. So- I don't see the problem with advertising it as an issue.

I actually feel more affronted by the Samaritans here. This bill is clearly for the terminally ill! Do they really think they can help them to live by having a quick phone call with them. And poof! Your tetminal illness is gone! Sorry but- they're dying! They're probably in pain. Ok- if they want to talk to someone then, great but- if that was intended as some kind of protest to prevent people suffering from being given a peaceful and digified end, I think that's way out of line.

Maybe they were so afraid that the mere mention of suicide would have some Pied Piper effect on the people on the platform (is that a tube station?) who would all launch themselves onto the track! And their helpline would be the one thing stopping them. Sorry to be sarcastic. I actually have no problem with helplines being offered. Maybe they would benefit some. It's not like we have to call them.

I wonder who decided to do that though. The Samaritans themselves or, the government who suddenly realised they refered to something traumatic without providing that magic number that will fix all your problems and deliver you days filled with rainbows thereafter. (Sorry, I can't help but be sarcastic sometimes...)

 

[SilentSadness]

To be honest those Samaritans posters are really infuriating, the people who did that must really hate the idea of others not suffering for all eternity. I mean seriously, what do they think they will do for someone is going to die within 6 months. Absolutely pathetic, things like this make it clear to me that suicide will never become accepted until people stop acting like stone age savages.

 

[SVEN]

I doubt we'll have to worry about this Bill too soon. Its' next stop will be Committee Stage and already a number of MPs who supported the Bill have said they will be likely to vote against it unless their preferred amendments are adopted.
Amongst many problematic challenges are who will provide the service, will the "independent" Doctors providing assessments receive payment, should the NHS be administering the final act, should there be private clinics set up, what will be the residency requirements if people start to come to the UK as they do to Dignitas.
And that's just for starters.

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

Also am I the only one who thinks these ads are weird af in a first place? Especially with the people dancing and being all joyful... Feels so dystopian to me.

That's what I'm saying, the optics are f'd weird. It reminds me of old cigarette ads in magazines that showed people smiling and doing activities.

 

[ijustwishtodie]

Fuck the samitarians and any other anti suicide morons out there. These people are a disgrace and they remind me just how hellish this place is as they want us to suffer in existence for eternity. Not to mention at how this is pointless anyway as the bill is directed at those who are terminal (although, at the end of the day, all of us are terminal). I hope that, one day, humanity manages to gain some sense and look back at our time to conclude that anti suicide sentiment is absolutely abhorrent