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Last Weeks Meeting Tuesday 18 August. Last Week’s Speaker was Dr Helen Bachin. Helen worked as a Dr for many years in the Porirua area and involved with the Ethics Council. Her address covered some of the issues around the End of Life Choice Act referendum. Helen pointed out that the Doctor’s hypocritic oath is to “do no harm” and this applies to a wider group than just the patient. We already have accepted processes by which a level of drugs may be given for pain relief in the knowledge that it may shorten life, so in a way assisted dying already exists.  The issues arise should assisted dying become legally available in that statistically many of those wanting assisted dying are suffering from depression and a fear of loss of enjoyment of life, it is possible that if the depression is treated the person may be able to have a better quality of life for a further period. There are concerns that if assisted dying or euthanasia are legalised even on a narrow basis that over time the grounds will widen (this has been the experience in some overseas jurisdictions), putting pressure on people seen as being vulnerable. The elderly and those with disabilities consider themselves as becoming particularly vulnerable to societal pressures. When deciding how to vote we should be guided by our values and these will be formed by our beliefs and to an extent the communities we are a part of religious or secular. There is much to think on and the level of questions following Helen’s address showed that many are thinking this through. |
