An elderly couple, Christine Scott ( 80 ) and her husband Peter (86 ) have signed up with the Swiss-based assisted suicide group” The Last Resort” to use a controversial’ Sarco machine’ to end their lives.
According to several media reports, Christine and Peter have expressed deep concern about receiving prompt medical care from the National Health Service ( NHS) because both of them have vascular dementia. Individuals can stimulate the Sarco device, a capsule created by Dr. Philip Nitschke of Exit International, from within the system, and end their lives calmly.
Peter Scott has described the woman’s desire to stay away from old age’s discomfort and degradation, especially as his wife’s mental capacity is deteriorating. He cited their lack of confidence in the NHS’s ability to treat patients with old illnesses as a major factor in their choice:” The chances of getting quick NHS treatment for the ailments of older age seem very isolated, so you end up trapped by infirmity and pain.”
Wes Streeting, the health and social care minister in the UK, has expressed concern about assisted suicide regulations, warning that they could force vulnerable people to choose to die because of insufficient end-of-life care. According to Straeting, he was doubtful whether the current treatment program offered enough support for those who were at the end of their lives to choose assisted dying.
The Scotts ‘ position was discussed by Right To Life UK’s Catherine Robinson, who acknowledged the family’s suffering but argued against assisted death as the best option.” Rather than focusing on introducing assisted suicide norms, we should be focused on improving the provision of high-quality treatment for those at the end of their lives.”
Due to concerns about propriety and ethics, European prosecutors recently outlawed the use of the Sarco device, which is intended to give people more control over their death. Medical experts like Dr. Brick Lantz, an orthopedic surgeon and chairman of the American Academy of Medical Ethics, have raised concerns about the dangers of assisted death and have noted that horrific effects can result from failed attempts.
In the context of an overworked care program, the Scotts situation has sparked new debates about the morality of assisted death.
