On 29th November the British Parliament resolved by votes of 330 to 275 a motion to alter, in a very restricted manner, the law which relates to assisted dying. For chronically ill patients over the age of 18 who have a professional prognosis from two doctors of less than six months expectancy of life their application must follow a procedure of regulation which requires the endorsement of a high court judge before finality may be achieved. During this delay of perhaps two or three months qualifying patients may continue to suffer great pain and/or die due to lack of effective palliative care.

Of the several million Britons who are in the final stage of life (annual deaths are currently around half a million), it is calculated that only six hundred could presently meet this restrictive definition. However, instead of rejoicing at the prospect of an early release from suffering, they and those in the queue behind must accept unrelieved death because there now follows a wait for up to three more years while the legislation follows its tortuous path to the statute book.

Although the parliamentary debate was dignified, this vote was preceded by vociferous campaigns which lacked the decorum and sober consideration merited by such a momentous proposal. It shook to the roots those of the Muslim, Old Christian and other faiths who remain implacably opposed to any form of secular mercy killing. But, at the same time, it gained traction with irreligious minorities of extreme political persuasion who, in place of autonomy, favour an absolute ordinance over the lives of their fellow citizens. They are considered to be servile to the State; whether they be of the quick or the dead.

The question of providing adequate safeguards to prevent an extortion of a dying person´s real and intellectual assets has bedevilled the progress of legislation in many countries. Not least of these is Portugal where a hiatus has existed since May 2023 when, for the fifth time, parliamentary approval was given for a severely qualified change in the law and then delayed by successive filibusters.

The British decision will inevitably be taken as a signal to continue with obstruction in other jurisdictions and to the possible reform and weakening of the implementation of the recently enabled legislation for “assisted suicide” in countries such as Canada where anomalies caused by such liberal reforms are now being criticized.

The debate in Britain´s parliament produced many harrowing examples of how the elderly or handicapped people of all ages are condemned to suffer excruciating final years for which palliative care is woefully inadequate. It is a societal torture which must be ended wherever it may exist.

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This essay follows “Euthanasia – Survival at the End of Life” published in The Portugal News 18 September, 2024.

By Roberto Cavaleiro Tomar 01 December 2024