Latest news with #CareNotKilling
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The kill switch for dementia sufferers: Inventor behind the suicide Sarco pod reveals plans for implant that will automatically kill patients when their condition worsens
The inventor of the Sarco suicide pod is building a 'kill switch' implant which could allow dementia sufferers to seal the time of their death years in advance. Dr Philip Nitschke, whose controversial capsule ended an American woman's life in Switzerland last September, has told MailOnline that his newest device is nearing the testing phase. His plans have been labelled 'disturbing' by critics, who argue that enabling people to trigger their deaths with a simple switch could have serious consequences for individuals with various mental and physical health conditions. The mechanism would be sewn into a person's body - most likely their leg - and contain a timer which would make a beeping noise and vibrate to warn them to turn it off each day. If they failed to do so due to deteriorating brain function in the late stages of the disease, Nitschke says, it would then release a lethal substance into their system to kill them. The assisted dying campaigner believes that his new device could solve the 'dementia dilemma' - the situation whereby someone suffering from the disease is seen as lacking the mental capacity to consent to their death. While he admitted there were 'very real problems' with the switch that his team would need to overcome, he predicted that it would 'work well enough and be reliable enough for people to see it as the answer to a very, very difficult problem.' Alistair Thompson, a spokesperson for anti-euthanasia group Care Not Killing, responded to the news: 'This is yet another chilling development from Dr Death who brought us the personalised gas chamber. 'Not content with advocating for killing vulnerable terminally ill adults, he has turned his attention to those with neurodegenerative conditions,' he went on. 'But we should not be surprised, because when a society decides that some lives are worthless and should be ended, this is the slippery slope you quickly go down.' Last week, MPs debated whether to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, while MSPs in Scotland voted in favour of a bill which would allow terminally-ill, mentally competent adults to seek medical help to end their lives. Assisted dying has been decriminalised in several European countries since the early 2000s, and is also legal in Canada, which has one of the highest rates of euthanasia in the world. In the Netherlands - which was the first European country to legalise euthanasia - patients can sign an advanced euthanasia directive which gives doctors permission to end their life once they are in the late stages of dementia. However Nitschke - a former physician who is often dubbed Dr Death - believes these rules don't go far enough, leaving people's deaths in the hands of doctors rather than their own. 'It doesn't work well at all,' Nitschke says. 'It's not satisfactory and I have talked about it with a lot of Dutch doctors who have tried to use this system and are not happy with it. 'Trying to kill people who don't know what day it is just because they've got a piece of paper they signed ten years ago doesn't make it any easier. 'Instead of outsourcing your death to another person - asking someone else to do it - you can do it yourself with some sophisticated technology,' he argues. But just as patients are required to make their decision on the euthanasia directive before their mental state worsens, Nitschke's switch would also need to be implanted in advance of the person losing mental capacity - something he admits most doctors may not want to do. The device would contain one millimetre of a powerful deadly substance which would be released when the person fails to switch it off - though Nitschke said he is still unsure what this would be. Early stage designs of the switch, which have been shared with MailOnline, show the lithium battery-powered device with a micro syringe containing the lethal injection and a remotely-controlled timer - all of which would be concealed beneath the skin. Nitschke plans for the switch to be programmed to go off with the reminder 'beep' and vibrations at a time of the user's choosing. Rather than pressing a physical switch on the body, he says the mechanism would be remotely controlled. When a prototype is built, the inventor says he will be the first to try it out. 'In my case I'm going to make sure it is just saline solution inside - obviously I don't want to discover that there's some fault with the software when there's some lethal risk involved, but that will be a fairly low-risk part of the whole testing process,' he said. The device would be designed to only work when the user is experiencing such severe dementia that they have stopped noticing the noises and vibrations it makes. 'You won't forget to press it otherwise, because after the time comes it'll start beeping and buzzing,' he insisted. 'If you really don't know what this thing is doing, beeping and buzzing for a week I think you've lost a lot of capacity. 'If you don't know the risks that are involved by not acting, that is, that you will die, then you're getting your wish from when you had it implanted.' He said that the alarm could beep for 'a day or two' before the switch is activated to ensure the dementia had progressed far enough. But he also suggested it could be limited to go off every year or two instead, if it were implanted long before dementia sets in. Asked what would happen if a patient changed their mind, he said: 'There's no problem technically in removing it - but you do have to go off and get someone to do it.' He admitted that removal would be complicated if someone was already experiencing cognitive decline, 'so are not in a position to negotiate the removal of this device.' He suggested a get around for this could be to adjust the timer so it wouldn't go off for decades 'then forget about it,' so the poison would stay dormant in a person's system for years. 'There are a series of legal problems, but right now we're pre-occupied with the technical hurdles,' he said. 'It has to be a system that is resistant to any kind of hacking, any interference, so there are a lot of real issues with it. 'I'm not trivialising the issues we've got, but I still see it as better than the current situation.' He said that the designer, who is based in Iran, is struggling to get hold of the parts to build the device, delaying their planned timeline. The project is ongoing while Nitschke's plans for his flagship Sarco pod have been put on hold by Swiss authorities. In September, dozens of police swooped on the forest where a 64-year-old woman was found dead inside the capsule, seizing the machine and arresting those present. The woman had been suffering with a severely compromised immune system in the lead-up to her death, which Sarco's operators described as 'peaceful and fast'. The device was used on the same day as Swiss Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told the National Council that she considers the use of the Sarco in Switzerland to be illegal. Swiss law allows assisted suicide so long as the person takes his or her life with no 'external assistance' and those who help the person die do not do so for 'any self-serving motive,' according to a government website. Months later, Nitschke's organisation and The Last Resort, the firm set up to operate the machine, say they have received no update from authorities regarding the investigation. Nitschke plans to push ahead with the roll-out of Sarco, and says a double pod, which would allow two people to end their lives in the same chamber, will be ready by October. The capsule is designed to allow a person inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas into the sealed chamber, according to its creators. The person is then supposed to fall asleep and die by suffocation in a few minutes. According to Sarco's creators, some 120 applicants are hoping to use the machine to end their lives, with Nitschke saying that around 50 people in Britain had got in contact about using the machine. Among them are a former RAF engineer and his wife, who revealed earlier this year that they were signing up to become the first British couple to use the double pod. Peter and Christine Scott, who have been married for 46 years, made the decision after former nurse Christine was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia. The couple want to travel to Switzerland to die in each other's arms in the death capsule, a wish which their son and daughter reluctantly said they would respect. The euthanasia campaigner says his dementia switch has also generated significant interest from people in the UK and around the world. 'A lot of the drive in interest is coming from the US and Canada and our members there,' he said. 'We're trying to move along with the death switch now quickly in this hiatus - while we're waiting for Sarco to be sorted out by the Swiss - to do something which will be of benefit to the whole world.' Care Not Killing, which is made up of disability and human rights groups, healthcare providers, and religious bodies, said in their statement: 'In every jurisdiction that has legalised assisted suicide or euthanasia, over time those eligible for death have increased. 'At a time when the NHS is in crisis and when the UK's palliative care system is broken with one in five hospices being forced to make cuts, we need to focus on fixing this. In short we need more care, not killing.' UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Tears as MSPs back assisted suicide by 14 votes
Proposals to make assisted dying legal in Scotland have passed their first hurdle. Despite major legal and practical concerns, a majority of MSPs on Tuesday backed the general principles of legislation allowing people with terminal illnesses to ask a doctor for help to end their life. The Bill, proposed by Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, was passed by 70 votes to 56 following nearly five hours of debate at Holyrood. But the vote immediately sparked warnings about the threat of another costly legal battle if the legislation is challenged in the courts. A wide range of concerns were raised about aspects of the Bill, including the risk of a 'slippery slope' where legal challenges force it to be extended, and the dangers of 'coercion', where vulnerable people may feel forced to end their life because they think they are a burden on their family or the State. Last night's vote also came despite direct warnings about the 'practical and legal concerns' about the proposals, including that the Bill may not be within the legal competence of the Scottish Parliament. Mr McArthur hailed the result as a 'landmark moment for Scotland' and said it will provide a 'compassionate choice for the small number of terminally ill Scots who need it'. But Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of Care Not Killing, said: 'This could result in Holyrood becoming embroiled in yet another expensive court case as and when any future legislation is challenged through the courts. 'There is massive opposition to the Bill and our campaign will now be stepped up as we prepare for what lies ahead.' Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, Holyrood's first permanent wheelchair using MSP, said: 'I'm heartbroken. I genuinely hoped that colleagues would see the risks associated with the Bill and understand the message it could send across Scotland to disabled people. 'But what I did hear was considerable trepidation in some colleagues and many colleagues saying that they would they need to see the Bill amended at Stage Two for it to retain their support. I am convinced that they will not be able to find the amendments that will put in the safeguards that are necessary, and I think my colleagues will see that.' MSPs backed the legislation despite First Minister John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes both voting against it. Among those supporting the legislation in the free vote - where MSPs did not need to follow the party whip - were six of Mr Swinney's Cabinet ministers: Shona Robison, Fiona Hyslop, Jenny Gilruth, Mairi McAllan, Angus Robertson and Shirley-Anne Somerville. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar voted against, while Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay supported the proposals. Many MSPs agreed to support the legislation in the first stage vote but will now see if amendments address the range of concerns before deciding whether to back the Bill becoming law in the final stage three vote. Introducing yesterday's debate, Mr McArthur told MSPs: 'I know how much this Bill matters to those dying Scots and their families who are desperate to see the law change to allow more choice, compassion and dignity at the end of life. 'And it's their voices, their needs, their interests, that must be at the centre of this debate, at the heart of our considerations and at the forefront of our minds as we come to vote later on this evening.' During Tuesday's debate, many MSPs told deeply personal stories about their decisions. Ms Duncan-Glancy said: 'We are not simply voting on a principle of choice, but on a hugely consequential piece of legislation that, yes, could put disabled people at material risk. 'Worryingly it is also legislation that could serve to legitimise the view that a life like ours, one of dependence and often of pain, is not worth living.' She said that the proposal 'brings the real risk that in moments when we are ground down, we would not only believe we are better off dead, but the state could help make that happen'. She added: 'It is inconceivable to suggest that the introduction of assisted suicide is about choice at the end, when so many people do not have choice throughout life. 'It is impossible to accept that there could ever be certainty that someone has not been pressured into ending their life prematurely. The Bill is the start of a slippery slope.' Tory Jeremy Balfour, who is also disabled, told MSPs: 'I could imagine, in a few years time, having some terminal illness and feeling the burden that could be put on my wife and my children because of the care that they give me day-in day-out. 'I have spoken to other disabled people who have felt and feel the same. 'We as MSPs are bound to vote on behalf of the best interests of our constituents. 'I would beg you, I would urge you to consider the most vulnerable in your constituency or in your region and say no to pray and dice with the sanctity of their lives.' George Adam, MSP for Paisley, also spoke emotionally about his wife Stacey's health conditions, including secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, asthma, and high blood pressure, and acknowledged that the 'road ahead could get harder'. He said: 'We hope that time never comes, but if it does, if the suffering becomes unbearable, Stacey should have that right to choose how her life ends, with dignity, with compassion. 'This bill gives Stacey peace of mind, because the truth is I don't know if I would be strong enough to let go. The thought of life without her is unbearable. 'I don't want to make that decision, I want Stacey to be able to decide. That's what this Bill is about. 'For Stacey, for me, for thousands of other families, it is about having that choice, peaceful and dignified end. This isn't about ending life early, it is about making sure when death is near people have a choice that is safe, legal and compassionate.' Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain, who fought off bowel cancer following his 2021 diagnosis with intensive radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, said: 'I stand to speak in this debate with sadness; sadness because it is all about the ending of life. 'During life there will never ever be a bigger to make than the decision to either take a life or to sanction the ending of life. 'As a young soldier my view was death happened to other people. But age and cancer have made me realise that death was inevitably coming closer and I was forced to contemplate carefully how my life might end - not a comfortable or easy experience and this bill brings all that into sharp focus.' He said he will 'always seek life' and said those with terminal illnesses can access good palliative care which puts them into control. He added: 'This parliament in my mind has a duty to make it easier to choose life, rather than making it easier to die, which is what this bill will do.' SNP MSP Marie McNair, who previously worked in hospices, warned that passing the bill would 'send a message' that some lives are valued above others and 'fundamentally change the relationship between patients and clinicians' She also raised concerns that the legislation 'opens a door we may not be able to close' and that eligibility will be extended in the future, and added: 'We cannot, with any great certainty, guarantee that safeguards would be kept in place and that leads us down the very dangerous path of living in a society that devalues the lives of the most vulnerable.' Following yesterday's vote, the Bill will now be scrutinised by the health and sport committee and MSPs and the Scottish Government will propose a long list of amendments before the final stage three vote to decide if it becomes law.
South Wales Guardian
11-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
McArthur ‘confident' ahead of key vote on assisted dying bill at Holyrood
Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur has brought forward a member's Bill which, if passed, would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their life. With the first vote on the Bill – where MSPs decide on whether or not they support the general principles of the legislation – due on Tuesday, Mr McArthur said he is 'confident that the support is there'. Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr McArthur said: 'I think the general mood is while it will be close, I am confident the support is there to allow us to go through to the next stage.' It will be the third time Holyrood has voted on the issue, with previous attempts to change the law defeated in both 2010 and 2015. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said that the proposals from Mr McArthur are a 'much better Bill' than those introduced previously – though he stressed that he could not support the legislation. It will however be a free vote when MSPs decide on the issue on Tuesday evening. If a majority of MSPs back the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday evening, more detailed scrutiny will be carried out, with the legislation also opened up to other MSPs to put forward amendments, ahead of a final vote at Holyrood before it could become law. But arguing that the majority of the public support such a change, Mr McArthur insisted it 'would be pretty difficult to justify' voting down the Bill and not taking it forward for amendments. He said Westminster MPs had initially passed Kim Leadbeater's Bill on assisted dying to 'enable the detailed committee scrutiny of amendments to take place'. And he said that at Holyrood 'I think we need to go through that process too', adding that it 'may well be that amendments are brought forward that can help address concerns'. But the Liberal Democrat, who has been working on the issue since 2021, stated: 'We only get to find that out if we pass the general principles next week.' Opponents of the legislation argue that if it is passed, it could leave vulnerable people feeling pressurised to prematurely end their life. CEO of Care Not Killing Gordon Macdonald highlights that some vulnerable people would inevitably die under Liam McArthur MSP's assisted suicide proposals. — The Christian Institute (@christianorguk) January 24, 2025 Mr McArthur, however, believes that the 'political mood' at Holyrood is 'very, very different from what it was' when the previous Bills were considered. He said: 'The conversations I have had over the past four years with colleagues now suggests there is more of a willingness to look for reasons to support rather than excuses to oppose. 'There are many colleagues who come at this issue with their own personal stories of losing a family member or a close friend to a bad death, therefore they view this issue through that prism, they recognise that the current ban on assisted dying is leading to too many instances where people are at the end of life with horrendous choices.' But he added: 'As we get to Tuesday there is a recognition, even among some who still have reservations, that we can't afford not to engage in the detailed scrutiny of potential changes to this Bill that might address the concerns they have.' While his legislation originally proposed allowing eligible Scots with a terminal illness to seek an assisted death from the age of 16, Mr McArthur announced recently if the Bill progresses he will change that to 18. 'I think on balance 18 is a more appropriate threshold,' he said. 'On this issue it had become increasingly clear to me setting the age threshold at 18 would give more reassurance to my MSP colleagues, including many who are very supportive of a change in the law.' However, he insisted that assisted dying could 'provide additional choice to the small but not insignificant number of people for whom that is a desired option'. The MSP stated: 'I understand there are those who do not want to see a change in the law, I understand people have concerns and questions about how this might work in practice. 'But with growing international evidence I think we can have confidence that we will be able to deliver a law which gives that choice, the compassionate choice to the small number of dying Scots who need it.' Adding that similar debates have taken place in 'all of the states in Australia and New Zealand, in a number of the states in the US and in other jurisdictions', Mr McArthur argued those areas had 'safely and successfully' introduced assisted dying legislation 'in a way that continues to command strong public support and indeed the confidence of the medical profession'.
North Wales Chronicle
11-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
McArthur ‘confident' ahead of key vote on assisted dying bill at Holyrood
Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur has brought forward a member's Bill which, if passed, would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their life. With the first vote on the Bill – where MSPs decide on whether or not they support the general principles of the legislation – due on Tuesday, Mr McArthur said he is 'confident that the support is there'. Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr McArthur said: 'I think the general mood is while it will be close, I am confident the support is there to allow us to go through to the next stage.' It will be the third time Holyrood has voted on the issue, with previous attempts to change the law defeated in both 2010 and 2015. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said that the proposals from Mr McArthur are a 'much better Bill' than those introduced previously – though he stressed that he could not support the legislation. It will however be a free vote when MSPs decide on the issue on Tuesday evening. If a majority of MSPs back the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday evening, more detailed scrutiny will be carried out, with the legislation also opened up to other MSPs to put forward amendments, ahead of a final vote at Holyrood before it could become law. But arguing that the majority of the public support such a change, Mr McArthur insisted it 'would be pretty difficult to justify' voting down the Bill and not taking it forward for amendments. He said Westminster MPs had initially passed Kim Leadbeater's Bill on assisted dying to 'enable the detailed committee scrutiny of amendments to take place'. And he said that at Holyrood 'I think we need to go through that process too', adding that it 'may well be that amendments are brought forward that can help address concerns'. But the Liberal Democrat, who has been working on the issue since 2021, stated: 'We only get to find that out if we pass the general principles next week.' Opponents of the legislation argue that if it is passed, it could leave vulnerable people feeling pressurised to prematurely end their life. CEO of Care Not Killing Gordon Macdonald highlights that some vulnerable people would inevitably die under Liam McArthur MSP's assisted suicide proposals. — The Christian Institute (@christianorguk) January 24, 2025 Mr McArthur, however, believes that the 'political mood' at Holyrood is 'very, very different from what it was' when the previous Bills were considered. He said: 'The conversations I have had over the past four years with colleagues now suggests there is more of a willingness to look for reasons to support rather than excuses to oppose. 'There are many colleagues who come at this issue with their own personal stories of losing a family member or a close friend to a bad death, therefore they view this issue through that prism, they recognise that the current ban on assisted dying is leading to too many instances where people are at the end of life with horrendous choices.' But he added: 'As we get to Tuesday there is a recognition, even among some who still have reservations, that we can't afford not to engage in the detailed scrutiny of potential changes to this Bill that might address the concerns they have.' While his legislation originally proposed allowing eligible Scots with a terminal illness to seek an assisted death from the age of 16, Mr McArthur announced recently if the Bill progresses he will change that to 18. 'I think on balance 18 is a more appropriate threshold,' he said. 'On this issue it had become increasingly clear to me setting the age threshold at 18 would give more reassurance to my MSP colleagues, including many who are very supportive of a change in the law.' However, he insisted that assisted dying could 'provide additional choice to the small but not insignificant number of people for whom that is a desired option'. The MSP stated: 'I understand there are those who do not want to see a change in the law, I understand people have concerns and questions about how this might work in practice. 'But with growing international evidence I think we can have confidence that we will be able to deliver a law which gives that choice, the compassionate choice to the small number of dying Scots who need it.' Adding that similar debates have taken place in 'all of the states in Australia and New Zealand, in a number of the states in the US and in other jurisdictions', Mr McArthur argued those areas had 'safely and successfully' introduced assisted dying legislation 'in a way that continues to command strong public support and indeed the confidence of the medical profession'.
South Wales Argus
11-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Argus
McArthur ‘confident' ahead of key vote on assisted dying bill at Holyrood
Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur has brought forward a member's Bill which, if passed, would allow terminally ill Scots to seek help to end their life. With the first vote on the Bill – where MSPs decide on whether or not they support the general principles of the legislation – due on Tuesday, Mr McArthur said he is 'confident that the support is there'. Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr McArthur said: 'I think the general mood is while it will be close, I am confident the support is there to allow us to go through to the next stage.' It will be the third time Holyrood has voted on the issue, with previous attempts to change the law defeated in both 2010 and 2015. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has revealed he will vote against the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill (Jeff Mitchell/PA) Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said that the proposals from Mr McArthur are a 'much better Bill' than those introduced previously – though he stressed that he could not support the legislation. It will however be a free vote when MSPs decide on the issue on Tuesday evening. If a majority of MSPs back the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on Tuesday evening, more detailed scrutiny will be carried out, with the legislation also opened up to other MSPs to put forward amendments, ahead of a final vote at Holyrood before it could become law. But arguing that the majority of the public support such a change, Mr McArthur insisted it 'would be pretty difficult to justify' voting down the Bill and not taking it forward for amendments. He said Westminster MPs had initially passed Kim Leadbeater's Bill on assisted dying to 'enable the detailed committee scrutiny of amendments to take place'. And he said that at Holyrood 'I think we need to go through that process too', adding that it 'may well be that amendments are brought forward that can help address concerns'. But the Liberal Democrat, who has been working on the issue since 2021, stated: 'We only get to find that out if we pass the general principles next week.' Opponents of the legislation argue that if it is passed, it could leave vulnerable people feeling pressurised to prematurely end their life. CEO of Care Not Killing Gordon Macdonald highlights that some vulnerable people would inevitably die under Liam McArthur MSP's assisted suicide proposals. — The Christian Institute (@christianorguk) January 24, 2025 Mr McArthur, however, believes that the 'political mood' at Holyrood is 'very, very different from what it was' when the previous Bills were considered. He said: 'The conversations I have had over the past four years with colleagues now suggests there is more of a willingness to look for reasons to support rather than excuses to oppose. 'There are many colleagues who come at this issue with their own personal stories of losing a family member or a close friend to a bad death, therefore they view this issue through that prism, they recognise that the current ban on assisted dying is leading to too many instances where people are at the end of life with horrendous choices.' But he added: 'As we get to Tuesday there is a recognition, even among some who still have reservations, that we can't afford not to engage in the detailed scrutiny of potential changes to this Bill that might address the concerns they have.' While his legislation originally proposed allowing eligible Scots with a terminal illness to seek an assisted death from the age of 16, Mr McArthur announced recently if the Bill progresses he will change that to 18. 'I think on balance 18 is a more appropriate threshold,' he said. 'On this issue it had become increasingly clear to me setting the age threshold at 18 would give more reassurance to my MSP colleagues, including many who are very supportive of a change in the law.' However, he insisted that assisted dying could 'provide additional choice to the small but not insignificant number of people for whom that is a desired option'. The MSP stated: 'I understand there are those who do not want to see a change in the law, I understand people have concerns and questions about how this might work in practice. 'But with growing international evidence I think we can have confidence that we will be able to deliver a law which gives that choice, the compassionate choice to the small number of dying Scots who need it.' Adding that similar debates have taken place in 'all of the states in Australia and New Zealand, in a number of the states in the US and in other jurisdictions', Mr McArthur argued those areas had 'safely and successfully' introduced assisted dying legislation 'in a way that continues to command strong public support and indeed the confidence of the medical profession'.
