Recent developments in the reform of english law on assisted suicide

European Journal of Health Law

Volumn 16, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 333-349

  Shaw, Julia J A ^a  

^a DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Asssisted suicide; Autonomy; Ethics; Law; Palliative care

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; ASSISTED SUICIDE; HUMAN; LEGAL ASPECT; MEDICAL TOURISM; TERMINALLY ILL PATIENT; UNITED KINGDOM;

GREAT BRITAIN; HUMANS; MEDICAL TOURISM; SUICIDE, ASSISTED; TERMINALLY ILL;

EID: 73349100694     PISSN: 09290273     EISSN: 15718093     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/092902709X12506817652810     Document Type: Article

References (166)

1. Hansard (Lords), The Parliamentary Debates, 5th Series, Vol. CCXXIV [1960-61] 250-253;
2. see also Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia Bill) 2000; Patients' Protection Bill 2002-03.
3. Gevers, S., "International standard setting in the field of bioethics", Symposium on Bioethics and health in an international context (2002), 35.
4. Aquinas, T. (1273/1964) In Summa Theologiae. London: McGraw-Hill, London, 2a2ae64.5.
5. Hales v Petit [1537-38] Michaelmas Term 4 & 5 Elizabeth in C.B, 1 Plowden 261.
6. Lord Denning, quoting Blackstone, supra note 2, at 259-62.
7. Keown, J., "Restoring moral and intellectual shape to the law after Bland ", The Law Quarterly Review, (113), (2007), 481-503.
8. Deschepper, R. et al., "Euthanasia and other end-of-life decisions: a mortality follow-back study in Belgium", BMC Public Health, (9), (2009), 79.
9. Cohen, J. et al., "European Public Acceptance of Euthanasia in 33 European Countries", Social Science and Medicine (63), (2006) 743.
10. Shaw, H.J., "Resisting the Hallucination of the Hypermarket", International Journal of Baudrillard Studies, 5(1) (2008), 9.
11. Szasz, T. (2002) Fatal Freedom: The Ethics and Politics of Suicide. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, p. 4.
12. Barrington, M.R. (1986) 'The case for rational suicide', in A.B. Downing and B. Smoker (eds), Vol-untary Euthanasia: Experts Debate the Right to Die. London: Peter Owen.
13. R v Howe [1987] 1AC 433.
14. Judge Corey in Rodriguez v A-G of British Columbia [1993] 50 BMLR 1, 63.
15. R v Carr [1986]; R v Moor [2000] Crim LR 41;
16. see also Reid, M. 2007. "We must debate end-of-life issues, says doctor cleared of misconduct", The Times, 12 July.
17. Seale, C., "National survey of end-of-life decisions made by UK medical practitioners", Palliative Medicine, 20(1), (2006) 3-10.
18. R (on the application of Pretty) v DPP [2002] 1 FLR 268 (House of Lords).
19. Application No 2346/02 Pretty v UK (2002) 35 EHRR 1 (European Court of Human Rights), 4/29/02.
20. Dyer, C., 2002. "Free at last-Diane Petty dies", The Guardian, 13 May, 1.
21. Hirsch, A., 2009. "Decision day for assisted suicide law", The Guardian, 30 July, 2.
22. Re Z, A local authority v Mr Z and the official solicitor [2004] EWHC 2817 (Fam); [2005] 1 FLR 740.
23. Brown, D., 2008. "Paralysed in a scrum, rugby player chose assisted death at age of 23", The Times, 18 October, 2.
24. Green, C., 2009. "British couple die in suicide pact at Swiss euthanasia clinic", The Independent, 6 March.
25. A-G v Able and Others [1964] QB 795.
26. Hansard (Lords), Vol 689, Col 1702, 1 March 2007.
27. Frith, M. 2006. "Freedom for husband who helped disabled wife to die", The Independent, 20 October.
28. Law Commission Report No. 304, 2006. "Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide, Project 6 of the Ninth Programme of Law Reform: Homicide, part VII" 28 November.
29. Hansard (Lords), Vol 712, Col 595, 7 July 2009.
30. R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening) [2009] UKHL 45.
31. Bindmans, 2009. "DPP must clarify policy on assisted suicide", The Times Law Report, July 21, 63.
32. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1189, 12 May 2006.
33. Ferriman, A., "BMA drops its opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia", British Medical Journal, 331(1), (2205) June.
34. British Medical Association Report, 2006. "BMA policy and the views of UK doctors", October, 393.
35. Hansard (Lords), Vol 689, Col 1702, 1 March 2007.
36. Seale, C., supra, note 12.
37. Report of the House of Lords Select Committee Report on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, HL Paper 86-I , London, HMSO, 4 April 2005, 116.
38. Supra, note 32, at 67.
39. Battin, M.P., "Legal physician-assisted dying in Oregon and the Netherlands: evidence concerning the impact on patients in vulnerable groups", Journal of Medical Ethics, (33), (2007) 591-597.
40. 78% of people over 65, National Opinion Poll (NOP) 2004; 80% of disabled respondents, YouGov Poll, 2004; '95% support the right for people with a terminal illness to be helped to die', Bennett, R. 2009. "Public understand complex issues", The Times, July 25, 32.
41. Clery, E., McLean, S., Phillips, M. (2007) 'Quickening death: the euthanasia debate' in A. Park, J. Curtice, K. T omson, M. Phillips, M. Johnson (eds.), British Social Attitudes: the 23rd Report - Perspectives on a Changing Society. London: Sage.
42. http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/; accessed 12 March 2009.
43. Supra, note 32, at 118-126.
44. Hansard (Lords) Vol 691, Col 346, 19 April 2007.
45. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1196, 12 May 2006.
46. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1213, 12 May 2006.
47. Lord Laing of Dunphail, Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1220, 12 May 2006.
48. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1200, 12 May 2006.
49. Hansard (Lords), Vol 658, Col 1319, 10 March 2004.
50. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1211, 12 May 2006.
51. Sakellari, E. "Patient Autonomy and Informed Consent", Health Science Journal, (13)1, (2003) 7.
52. Supra, note 32, at 62.
53. Greenawalt, K. (2006) Religion and the Constitution Volume 1: Free Exercise and Fairness. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
54. R v Blaue [1975] 1 WLR 1411 (CA); 3 All ER 450.
55. Re T [1992] 4 All ER 649 (CA).
56. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1186, 12 May 2006.
57. Gorsuch, N.M. (2006) The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Princeton: Princeton University Press, p. 27.
58. Lindsay, A.D. (1951) 'Colonel Rainsborough's Observance 1647' in The Essentials of Democracy, London: Oxford University Press.
59. Supra, note 32, at 90.
60. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1201, 12 May 2006.
61. Billing J., "Clinical review: Recent advances in palliative care", British Medical Journal, (321) (2000), 555-8.
62. Adams, S., Pitcher, G., 2009. "Clerics try to stop 'euthanasia' law", Daily Telegraph, 28 June, 2.
63. Lawton, J. (2000) The Dying Process, UK: Routledge.
64. Supra, note 32, at 83.
65. Gorsuch, N.M. (2006) The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Princeton: Princeton University Press;
66. see also Tallis, R., 2007. "Assisted Suicide on Trial", The Times, 24 January.
67. Supra, note 32, at 184, 185;
68. see also Van der Heide, A. et al. 2007. "End-of-life practices in the Netherlands under the Euthanasia Act", New England Journal of Medicine, (356) 1957-65.
69. Huxtable, R., Moller M., 2001, "Euthanasia in the Netherlands: the case of life fatigue", New Law Journal, (151) 1600.
70. Supra, note 32, at 255, 256.
71. Abbot, D., (Commons) Early Day Motion 191, Palliative Care, 12 December 2007.
72. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1203, 12 May 2006.
73. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1223, 12 May 2006.
74. Hansard (Lords), Vol 658, Col 1319, 10 March 2004;
75. quoting Edwin Muir, One Foot In Eden, Faber, 1956.
76. Joffe, J., 2008. "Debbie Purdy deserves a less terrible choice: Parliament must legalise assisted dying and not be deflected by the small minority who refuse a calm debate", The Times, 30 October, 3.
77. Nugent, H., 2008. "Peer to resurrect Bill in effort to clarify law", The Times, 30 October, 3.
78. Harris, H., (Commons) Early Day Motion 2749, Britons Travelling Overseas For Assisted Suicides, 16 October 2006.
79. Salter, M., Shaw, J.J.A. (2003) 'Towards a Critical Theory of Constitutional Law: Hegel's Contribution' in M. Salter (ed.), Hegel and Law. Aldershot: Ashgate.
80. Raphael, D. (1994) Moral Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 68-69.
81. Beresford, P. , Adshead, L., Croft, S. (2007) Palliative Care, Social Work and Service Users: Making Life Possible. London: Kingsley Publishers.
82. R v Carr [1986] unreported, Yorkshire Post, 12 November 1986.
83. Camus, A. (1942/1999) Le Mythe de Sisyphe: Essai Sur Labsurde. France: Folio.
84. Hansard (Lords), The Parliamentary Debates, 5th Series, Vol. CCXXIV [1960-61] 250-253;
85. see also Medical Treatment (Prevention of Euthanasia Bill) 2000; Patients' Protection Bill 2002-03.
86. Gevers, S., "International standard setting in the field of bioethics", Symposium on Bioethics and health in an international context (2002), 35.
87. Aquinas, T. (1273/1964) In Summa Theologiae. London: McGraw-Hill, London, 2a2ae64.5.
88. Hales v Petit [1537-38] Michaelmas Term 4 & 5 Elizabeth in C.B, 1 Plowden 261.
89. Lord Denning, quoting Blackstone, supra note 2, at 259-62.
90. Keown, J., "Restoring moral and intellectual shape to the law after Bland ", The Law Quarterly Review, (113), (2007), 481-503.
91. Deschepper, R. et al., "Euthanasia and other end-of-life decisions: a mortality follow-back study in Belgium", BMC Public Health, (9), (2009), 79.
92. Cohen, J. et al., "European Public Acceptance of Euthanasia in 33 European Countries", Social Science and Medicine (63), (2006) 743.
93. Shaw, H.J., "Resisting the Hallucination of the Hypermarket", International Journal of Baudrillard Studies, 5(1) (2008), 9.
94. Szasz, T. (2002) Fatal Freedom: The Ethics and Politics of Suicide. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, p. 4.
95. Barrington, M.R. (1986) 'The case for rational suicide', in A.B. Downing and B. Smoker (eds), Vol-untary Euthanasia: Experts Debate the Right to Die. London: Peter Owen.
96. R v Howe [1987] 1AC 433.
97. Judge Corey in Rodriguez v A-G of British Columbia [1993] 50 BMLR 1, 63.
98. R v Carr [1986]; R v Moor [2000] Crim LR 41;
99. see also Reid, M. 2007. "We must debate end-of-life issues, says doctor cleared of misconduct", The Times, 12 July.
100. Seale, C., "National survey of end-of-life decisions made by UK medical practitioners", Palliative Medicine, 20(1), (2006) 3-10.
101. R (on the application of Pretty) v DPP [2002] 1 FLR 268 (House of Lords).
102. Application No 2346/02 Pretty v UK (2002) 35 EHRR 1 (European Court of Human Rights), 4/29/02.
103. Dyer, C., 2002. "Free at last-Diane Petty dies", The Guardian, 13 May, 1.
104. Hirsch, A., 2009. "Decision day for assisted suicide law", The Guardian, 30 July, 2.
105. Re Z, A local authority v Mr Z and the official solicitor [2004] EWHC 2817 (Fam); [2005] 1 FLR 740.
106. Brown, D., 2008. "Paralysed in a scrum, rugby player chose assisted death at age of 23", The Times, 18 October, 2.
107. Green, C., 2009. "British couple die in suicide pact at Swiss euthanasia clinic", The Independent, 6 March.
108. A-G v Able and Others [1964] QB 795.
109. Hansard (Lords), Vol 689, Col 1702, 1 March 2007.
110. Frith, M. 2006. "Freedom for husband who helped disabled wife to die", The Independent, 20 October.
111. Law Commission Report No. 304, 2006. "Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide, Project 6 of the Ninth Programme of Law Reform: Homicide, part VII" 28 November.
112. Hansard (Lords), Vol 712, Col 595, 7 July 2009.
113. R (Purdy) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children intervening) [2009] UKHL 45.
114. Bindmans, 2009. "DPP must clarify policy on assisted suicide", The Times Law Report, July 21, 63.
115. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1189, 12 May 2006.
116. Ferriman, A., "BMA drops its opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia", British Medical Journal, 331(1), (2205) June.
117. British Medical Association Report, 2006. "BMA policy and the views of UK doctors", October, 393.
118. Hansard (Lords), Vol 689, Col 1702, 1 March 2007.
119. Seale, C., supra, note 12.
120. Report of the House of Lords Select Committee Report on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill, HL Paper 86-I , London, HMSO, 4 April 2005, 116.
121. Supra, note 32, at 67.
122. Battin, M.P., "Legal physician-assisted dying in Oregon and the Netherlands: evidence concerning the impact on patients in vulnerable groups", Journal of Medical Ethics, (33), (2007) 591-597.
123. 78% of people over 65, National Opinion Poll (NOP) 2004; 80% of disabled respondents, YouGov Poll, 2004; '95% support the right for people with a terminal illness to be helped to die', Bennett, R. 2009. "Public understand complex issues", The Times, July 25, 32.
124. Clery, E., McLean, S., Phillips, M. (2007) 'Quickening death: the euthanasia debate' in A. Park, J. Curtice, K. T omson, M. Phillips, M. Johnson (eds.), British Social Attitudes: the 23rd Report - Perspectives on a Changing Society. London: Sage.
125. http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/; accessed 12 March 2009.
126. Supra, note 32, at 118-126.
127. Hansard (Lords) Vol 691, Col 346, 19 April 2007.
128. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1196, 12 May 2006.
129. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1213, 12 May 2006.
130. Lord Laing of Dunphail, Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1220, 12 May 2006.
131. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1200, 12 May 2006.
132. Hansard (Lords), Vol 658, Col 1319, 10 March 2004.
133. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1211, 12 May 2006.
134. Sakellari, E. "Patient Autonomy and Informed Consent", Health Science Journal, (13)1, (2003) 7.
135. Supra, note 32, at 62.
136. Greenawalt, K. (2006) Religion and the Constitution Volume 1: Free Exercise and Fairness. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
137. R v Blaue [1975] 1 WLR 1411 (CA); 3 All ER 450.
138. Re T [1992] 4 All ER 649 (CA).
139. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1186, 12 May 2006.
140. Gorsuch, N.M. (2006) The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Princeton: Princeton University Press, p. 27.
141. Lindsay, A.D. (1951) 'Colonel Rainsborough's Observance 1647' in The Essentials of Democracy, London: Oxford University Press.
142. Supra, note 32, at 90.
143. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1201, 12 May 2006.
144. Billing J., "Clinical review: Recent advances in palliative care", British Medical Journal, (321) (2000), 555-8.
145. Adams, S., Pitcher, G., 2009. "Clerics try to stop 'euthanasia' law", Daily Telegraph, 28 June, 2.
146. Lawton, J. (2000) The Dying Process, UK: Routledge.
147. Supra, note 32, at 83.
148. Gorsuch, N.M. (2006) The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Princeton: Princeton University Press;
149. see also Tallis, R., 2007. "Assisted Suicide on Trial", The Times, 24 January.
150. Supra, note 32, at 184, 185;
151. see also Van der Heide, A. et al. 2007. "End-of-life practices in the Netherlands under the Euthanasia Act", New England Journal of Medicine, (356) 1957-65.
152. Huxtable, R., Moller M., 2001, "Euthanasia in the Netherlands: the case of life fatigue", New Law Journal, (151) 1600.
153. Supra, note 32, at 255, 256.
154. Abbot, D., (Commons) Early Day Motion 191, Palliative Care, 12 December 2007.
155. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1203, 12 May 2006.
156. Hansard (Lords), Vol 681, Col 1223, 12 May 2006.
157. Hansard (Lords), Vol 658, Col 1319, 10 March 2004;
158. quoting Edwin Muir, One Foot In Eden, Faber, 1956.
159. Joffe, J., 2008. "Debbie Purdy deserves a less terrible choice: Parliament must legalise assisted dying and not be deflected by the small minority who refuse a calm debate", The Times, 30 October, 3.
160. Nugent, H., 2008. "Peer to resurrect Bill in effort to clarify law", The Times, 30 October, 3.
161. Harris, H., (Commons) Early Day Motion 2749, Britons Travelling Overseas For Assisted Suicides, 16 October 2006.
162. Salter, M., Shaw, J.J.A. (2003) 'Towards a Critical Theory of Constitutional Law: Hegel's Contribution' in M. Salter (ed.), Hegel and Law. Aldershot: Ashgate.
163. Raphael, D. (1994) Moral Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 68-69.
164. Beresford, P. , Adshead, L., Croft, S. (2007) Palliative Care, Social Work and Service Users: Making Life Possible. London: Kingsley Publishers.
165. R v Carr [1986] unreported, Yorkshire Post, 12 November 1986.
166. Camus, A. (1942/1999) Le Mythe de Sisyphe: Essai Sur Labsurde. France: Folio.