A DOCTOR and campaigner for assisted suicide has thrown his support behind a new group launched to call for people who are not terminally ill to be allowed to die.

Speaking exclusively to The Argus, retired GP Michael Irwin from Hove said he would support anybody suffering "unbearably" from a serious medical condition, such as severe asthma, who wanted an assisted suicide.

His comments come as he is made a patron of My Death My Decision (MDMD) which believes people should be allowed to commit suicide if they feel their quality of life is below the level they are able to accept.

Recent attempts to legalise assisted dying in Britain have sought the right only for those who are terminally ill with six months to live.

But MDMD believes this disqualifies a large number of people who want a legal medically assisted suicide even although they are not terminally ill.

The 85-year-old, who is nicknamed Dr Death because of his outspoken views on the right to die, said: “My Death My Decision campaigns to change UK law so that all competent adults - who are suffering unbearably from an incurable illness - should be able legally to receive medical help to die.

"Most of us are living longer than in previous years - and, so many people like myself are concerned now that we should not be forced to linger on into old age, or into states of advanced physical or mental decrepitude which conflict with our strongly held ideas of being in control."

When asked how he would define a serious, incurable or unbearable illness, or an example of such, he said: "Legalised doctor-assisted dying should be limited for those suffering from physical medical conditions. "Severe asthma is a serious medical condition. If a competent adult is suffering unbearably from this - for a very long period of time - then that individual might have to consider doctor-assisted suicide."

Dr Irwin said he is prepared to go through an assisted suicide when the time comes and told how he has advised around 200 Britons on how the system works.

The organisation, previously known as the Society for Old Age Rational Suicide, aims to develop over time to be an information resource covering all aspects of the UK Right to Die campaign.

It will cover, in depth, the arguments for and against different approaches to how the UK law might be changed, taking into account the concerns of those currently opposed to any change, and evidence from other countries.

A spokesman for the group said: “In this way we hope to stimulate discussions which will move the UK right to die campaign forward.”

A major concern of those opposed to changing the law has been the protection of "vulnerable people".

Peter Saunders, member of the Care Not Killing pressure group, said: “Changing the law to allow assisted suicide or euthanasia will put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives out of fear from becoming an emotional and financial burden, which is what we have seen in the tiny number of countries that have gone down this path."

MDMD proposes an extension to Advance Decisions (formerly called living wills) which could allay this concern.

Under the proposal, an "extended advance decision", written by a person when they are not considered vulnerable, could document their wish for the option of an assisted death at some point in the future.

People considered vulnerable who request an assisted death without an appropriate extended advance decision would be afforded the same protection as if the law hadn't changed.

Since 2005, Dr Irwin has accompanied four Britons to Switzerland to witness their doctor-assisted suicides.

He believes he has given advice, ranging from just a single phone call to meeting someone, to at least 150 individuals, although most have not gone on to take the final step.

‘I BELIEVE LAW WILL CHANGE HERE WITHIN A DECADE’

Health reporter Siobhan Ryan speaks to retired GP Michael Irwin about his support for a new group which supports those who wish to commit suicide even if they are not terminally ill.

What is the difference between this new organisation, My Death, My Decision, which you support, and your former group, the Society of Old Age Rational Suicide (SOARS)?

We discovered that some potential members disliked the word “suicide” – even if “rational” was placed before it. Also, we felt it advisable to consider including all adults and not only those who are elderly – although I expect that a great majority of future members will be over 60.

Why has the stance changed to include those who are not terminally ill?

SOARS had never only focused on the “terminally ill”. In many ways, SOARS/MDMD is repeating the objective of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society (founded in the UK in 1935 – the first right-to-die society in the world) which campaigned for legalised assisted dying for all competent adults who were suffering unbearably. VES was reorganised into Dignity in Dying in 2005 and then decided to limit its objective to only the “terminally ill”.

What would you say to critics who oppose what you are doing?

I would remind them that the majority of British adults (various polls put the figure at 70 per cent to 80 per cent) want a change in the law. But, I respect the views of our critics – it is essentially a matter of personal choice (“What would you like for yourself if you were suffering unbearably?”).

How do you define what is a person’s “quality of life permanently below the level they are able to accept”?

Essentially, this is a very personal decision but one that can be defined in discussions with one’s relatives and close friends.

What about a person suffering from depression, constant migraines or a long-term condition like asthma?

Legalised doctor-assisted dying should be limited for those suffering from physical medical conditions. Severe asthma is a serious medical condition. If a competent adult is suffering unbearably from this – for a very long period of time – then that individual might have to consider doctor-assisted suicide – it would have to be a joint decision between the patient and the doctor.

How confident are you in a change in the law/legislation, following the failure of the Right to Die bill?

I still believe that a change in the law will happen in the UK within a decade or so. After all, good right-to-die laws exist today in Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and five US States. Are we so different to those who live in these countries?

Would you be willing to take your own life?

I belong to the three Swiss organizations (such as Dignitas) who are willing to help suffering foreigners. If I do not die suddenly in the UK, I plan, one day, to go to Switzerland – I would never want to “take my own life”. I believe that it is essential that a doctor is involved (to decide that my decision is that of a “competent” person and to supervise the actual procedure).

How many people have you advised over the years about taking their own life?

I have never advised anyone “to take their own life”. But, in the past 20 years I have advised about 200 Britons about what is involved in going to Switzerland (of course, many do not make such a journey). I do not keep records of these discussions – I am basing this figure on the fact that I get involved in about one such possibility every month.

How many people have you accompanied abroad?

Five – in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, and last February. All were determined individuals, wanting to be “in control” about how and when they died.

Are you concerned about legal action being taken against you?

I have been arrested twice – once in 2003, and again in 2009 – but, never charged. Nowadays, a relative or friend – acting compassionately – can accompany someone to Switzerland and usually have no fear of any legal action upon their return.

Do you feel assisted suicide is at odds with your career as a former GP?

Definitely not – the main responsibility of a good, compassionate doctor is always to do what is best for her/his patient – which can include helping that person to die if that individual is mentally competent and is suffering unbearably from an incurable illness.

THIS CHANGE WOULD PUT PRESSURE ON VULNERABLE

Opinion by Peter Saunders

CHANGING the law to allow assisted suicide or euthanasia will put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives out of fear from becoming an emotional and financial burden, which is what we have seen in the tiny number of countries that have gone down this path.

In Belgium, which introduced a law to help terminally ill mentally competent adults, we have seen the case of Mark and Eddy Verbessem, the 45-year-old deaf identical twins, who were killed by the Belgium state, after their eyesight began to fail.

Or Nathan/Nancy Verhelst, whose life was ended in front of TV cameras, after a series of botched sex-change operations.

Or the case of Ann G, an anorexia sufferer who opted to have her life ended after being sexually abused by the psychiatrist who was supposed to be treating her for the life-threatening condition.

Now both Belgium and Holland have extended their law to include killing non-mentally competent children.

While in Oregon, suicide rates have increased dramatically since changing the law.

At the same time because of health care rationing we have seen those suffering from cancer refused potentially lifesaving and life-extending treatments, while being offered the lethal cocktails of drugs to kill themself with.

No wonder there is not a single major doctors or disability group that supports changing the law and why last year parliaments in both Westminster and Holyrood rejected much less radical measures than those being pushed by this group.

Our current law is both clear and provides a powerful disincentive to abuse while giving discretion to prosecutors and judges in showing mercy in hard cases. It does not need changing.

  • Peter Saunders is a member of the Care Not Killing pressure group