'People are choosing between suicide, Switzerland or suffering': Baroness ... trends now
Terminally ill Brits are having to choose between 'suicide, Switzerland or suffering', MPs were told today.
In a powerful plea to the Health and Social Care Committee, Baroness Meacher argued future generations would be 'appalled' at how long it has taken for laws on assisted dying to come close to changing.
Currently, helping someone take their own life is punishable with up to 14 years in prison.
But campaigners have for decades been pushing ministers to reconsider, wanting Britain to follow the likes of Australia and New Zealand in making it legal.
Baroness Meacher was speaking during today's first session of the Health and Social Care Committee's inquiry into assisted dying.
In a powerful plea to the Health and Social Care Committee, Baroness Meacher argued future generations would be 'appalled' at how long it has taken for laws on assisted dying to come close to changing
In December, it was announced the Committee's inquiry would examine 'different perspectives' in the often controversial and passionate debate, with a focus on the healthcare aspects. Today marked the first session of the inquiry
'I've just spent my life really trying to listen to people's needs, trying to reduce unbearable suffering and trying to protect vulnerable people,' the former social care worker said.
'At the moment, some people have to choose between suicide, suffering or Switzerland.
Baroness Meacher added: 'Future generations are going to be appalled that we've taken so long to put this right.'
In December, it was announced the Committee's inquiry would examine 'different perspectives' in the often controversial and passionate debate, with a focus on the healthcare aspects.
Supporters of legalisation argue people should be able to help terminally ill loved ones who are experiencing great suffering to end their lives.
But a change in the law is opposed by many religious groups, who claim it would undermine the value society places on human life.
Baroness Meacher, who chairs the UK campaigning organisation, Dignity in Dying, also told the committee: 'If we think of patient autonomy, for many years polls and surveys have shown that the huge majority of British people want an assisted dying law.
'They want an assisted dying law for people who are terminally ill and who are mentally competent. It's very clear that it where the support lies.
'We know that choices and control at the end of life will bring tremendous comfort to dying people relieving unbearable suffering.'
She added: 'Terminal illness brings unbearable suffering in various forms. Obviously uncontrollable physical pain is one such form.'
Other forms include 'endless nausea and vomiting' or a 'fumigating tumour creating the most appalling odour that the patient cannot get away from', she said.
'Or the complete and utter loss of the ability to move maybe because of motor neurone disease,' she added.
'These patients at the end of life are unable to swallow, to speak, to eat, to drink. They are existing, they're not living. We all want more and better palliative care, of course we do.
'But however good palliative care is, it will not be able to eliminate the unbearable suffering of many of these people.'
Over the past 13 years, there have been 200 cases of assisted dying or assisted suicide referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police, with four successful prosecutions.
Some form of assisted dying or assisted suicide is legal in at least 27 jurisdictions worldwide.
In the UK, Dignity in Dying, is campaigning for a law allowing assisted dying. In contrast to euthanasia and assisted suicide - helping another person to die by suicide, assisted dying would apply to terminally ill people only.
It became legal in Canada in 2015, in the Netherlands in 2001, and in the US state
