Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, yesterday published revised guidelines for determining whether those who help others to kill themselves should be prosecuted. In a significant shift, a medical professional who assists someone to commit suicide is only likely to be prosecuted if that person was in their care in a professional capacity. The change means that doctors such as the Michael Irwin (who claims to have helped 25 people kill themselves) would now be less likely to face prosecution.
The move has been criticized for undermining the authority of Parliament and for endangering the vulnerable.
Commentary
Commenting on the move, Dr Peter Saunders, Chief Executive of the Christian Medical Fellowship, writes:
In an astounding about face for the Crown Prosecution Service, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders (pictured), has today rewritten her prosecution policy so that doctors can now be involved in assisting suicide without fear of prosecution, provided they don't have a professional relationship with those they 'help' (See Daily Mail here and here, Daily Telegraph, Yahoo, Premier, CT, ES).
The move has not surprisingly been welcomed by euthanasia campaigner Michael Irwin, and will also be music to the ears of Philip Nitschke.
Both Irwin and Nitschke are medical practitioners who have become media celebrities through their high profile campaigning for the legalisation of assisted suicide, and high profile assistance to those wanting to end their own lives.
Now it will be much easier for them to do so without a backward glance.
Read the rest of Dr Saunders' article here.