An 83 year old British man has become the first person with dementia to end his life at the controversial Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland.
The unknown man was in the early stages of dementia and allegedly obtained a report from a psychiatrist to say that he was “mentally competent” to make the decision.
He said he could not face the suffering of the progressive condition and wanted to avoid being a burden on his family.
Campaigner
His story was publicised by Michael Irwin, a vocal euthanasia campaigner dubbed “Dr Death” after helping a number of patients to end their lives at the Dignitas clinic.
The former GP allegedly helped the man in obtaining the psychiatrists report which described him as mentally competent to opt for an assisted suicide.
Dr Irwin said that the man’s family, who arranged his travel to Switzerland, was “100 per cent” behind his decision.
Warning
Concerns have been raised that the case implies that those with dementia should consider ending their lives prematurely, whilst experts have said that sufferers can live for years with the condition.
Previously commenting on the case, Care Not Killing said: “This case shows that if we were to change the law in this country there would be pressure to apply it to dementia patients as is already happening in the Netherlands.
“Our current law provides the right balance. On the one hand the penalties it holds in reserve act as a powerful deterrent to exploitation and abuse. On the other hand it gives some discretion to prosecutors and judges in dealing with borderline and hard cases. It does not need changing.
“Any change in the law would inevitably place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden upon loved ones and this pressure would be particularly intensely felt at this time of economic recession when many families are struggling to make ends meet."
The case also raises the serious question of whether Dementia sufferers are capable of making such a decision or whether it would be the choice of their family.
Arrested
Critics have argued that Mr Irwin provoked a test case to gauge more support for a weakening of the law on assisted suicide in Britain.
Mr Irwin previously chaired euthanasia lobby group “Dignity in Dying” and was arrested in 2003 after attempting to help a terminally ill friend to commit suicide.
He was later released without charge, but was struck off the medical register in 2005 following an inquiry by the General Medical Council.
He has since admitted to accompanying four people to Dignitas, whilst helping at least 25 people to commit suicide at the clinic by providing them with advice.
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