Members of the Scottish Parliament have been warned that proposals to legalise assisted suicide could open a “Pandora’s box” and put vulnerable members of society in danger.
The proposed Bill is being proposed by Liam McArthur, a Liberal Democrat Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP). This is separate to the same Bill currently being considered within the Westminster Parliament for England and Wales.
The Holyrood Health Committee has just published its Stage 1 report into the laws. The report, which is actually a summary of proceedings, noted amongst other things the danger that the laws could possibly be step one on a “slippery slope”.
As the report states: “Dr Mary Neal from the University of Strathclyde argued that the Bill contained many areas that were subject to potential ‘slippage’ and that, no matter how tightly the law was felt to have been drafted, there was ultimately no way of stopping people from difficult it.”
The report highlights the differing priorities of those on either side of the talk. Proponents of the bill are concerned with reducing suffering, personal dignity and autonomy. By contrast, the driving principles of those against the bill are risk of coercion to vulnerable people, the sanctity of life and the chance of devaluing the lives of certain kinds of people.
Despite these difference, each opponents and supports of the bill agree that palliative care services are nowhere near pretty much as good as they must be.
While supporters deny or downplay it, the report also shows that assisted suicide may eventually turn out to be available to those that usually are not terminally unwell.
James Mildred, spokesman for CARE for Scotland, which opposes the law, said, “The issues appraised on this report underline just how dangerous Mr McArthur’s Bill is. As critics have repeatedly warned, Scottish assisted suicide laws could be open to challenges through the courts by those that want to expand eligibility criteria. “Other nations have experienced incremental expansion to their laws that sees a broad range of adults and even children made eligible for ‘assisted dying’. The assurances of campaigners in Scotland that expansion is not going to occur are hole.”Mildred concluded by saying, “Legislating for assisted suicide opens a Pandora’s Box. The most vulnerable in society bear brunt of injustices. We would urge MSPs to oppose the Bill at Stage 1 and select a special path for Scotland: truly life-affirming care that safeguards every patient.”
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