Imagine a chilling scenario: you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, notorious for its excruciating pain. The prognosis is grim – but what if you were offered a lethal medication—one that promises a swift, painless death? Would you take it?
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP, Liam McArthur, has proposed a bill to provide this very solution. Whilst the bill has been debated and rejected in the past due to ethical concerns, mounting pressure on the NHS has led the government to revisit the issue. It’s no wonder—an estimated £6 billion is spent annually on palliative care in the UK, a staggering figure that underscores the need for alternative options.
The bill itself is clear: it would allow adults who are terminally ill, mentally competent, and over 16 years of age to request assisted dying. Unlike the more restrictive legislation in England and Wales, which mandates patients must have less than six months to live, McArthur’s bill is broader in scope, with no specific time frame for those who are “terminal.” This expanded scope prioritises alleviating the immense physical and emotional suffering faced by individuals in their final stages of life.
Many report a profound sense of losing their dignity and identity as their illness progresses, often to the devastating emotional toll on their loved ones. By offering this as an option, patients will continue to have a sense of control arrange their affairs on their terms and relieve their loved ones of the anguish that comes with prolonged suffering. Additionally, by reducing the demand for palliative care, the NHS could redirect vital resources to other areas, such as reducing waiting times, increasing hospital bed capacity, and easing staff shortages.
However, not everyone is convinced. Dr Lucy Thomas, a palliative care doctor, voiced concerns that the bill might inadvertently pressure patients to choose death for fear of becoming a “burden” on their families. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, shares this worry and has publicly stated that he will oppose the equivalent bill for England and Wales on such grounds. Dr Thomas points to data from Oregon’s ‘Death with Dignity Act’ (DWDA), revealing a significant number of patients cited that a driving factor in their decision to pursue assisted dying was the avoidance of feeling a burden.
A 2023 report on the DWDA, highlights the three most common reasons patients chose assisted dying: loss of autonomy (92%), a declining ability to participate in activities that once brought them joy (88%), and the loss of dignity (64%). While 43% of participants did cite being a “burden” as a concern, Dr Thomas’s focus on this single factor overlooks the broader, and arguably, more poignant reasons patients make this choice. These individuals aren’t simply seeking an escape from being a burden, they are seeking to preserve their dignity, autonomy, and quality of life in the face of unbearable suffering.
While these concerns are valid, is it not inhumane to deny individuals the option to end their suffering when they are in excruciating pain? Is it not cruel to force their families to watch as their loved ones slowly fade away, losing someone who was once full of ambition and life?
Renowned actress Diana Rigg, who lost her battle to lung cancer, expressed her own desire for the legalisation of assisted dying. “They don’t talk about how awful, how truly awful, the details of this condition are, and the ignominy that is attached to it.”
She continued: “It’s high time there was some movement in the law to give choice to people in my position. This means giving human beings true agency over their own bodies at the end of life.”
The bill explicitly states that the assisting healthcare professional must remain with the patient until they either self-administer the medication and pass away or choose not to take it at all. This control safeguards against the misuse of lethal drugs and ensures a careful, regulated process.
As someone who has witnessed several family members endure terminal illnesses, I find it difficult to understand the resistance towards this bill. Many ethical arguments against it seem detached from the harsh realities of living and dying under the weight of extreme suffering. Yes, there are complex emotions involved, but there are also undeniable practical benefits. Financially, the NHS could see relief from the crushing burden of palliative care costs. More importantly, from an ethical standpoint, the right to choose a dignified end to one’s life should be recognised as a fundamental option.
Let’s give individuals control over their own bodies, and the freedom to decide when enough is enough. We must not prolong suffering merely because the conversation makes us uncomfortable. It’s time to grant people the agency to live—and die—with dignity, on their own terms.
(She/her) I am an English Literature and Journalism student with a passion for writing, reading and all things word-related!
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