In many parts of the world, the topic of assisted dying remains one of the most controversial ethical debates of our time. While some view it as a compassionate response to incurable suffering, others fear it may lower the sanctity of life.
The argument mostly revolves around autonomy, that is, if people should have the right to choose the time and manner of their own passing. For those facing slow, degenerative illnesses or a life of pain, assisted dying may feel like the final act of personal agency and dignity.
Despite being legal in a few countries, such as Switzerland and Canada, it remains banned in several others, including the UK, where assisting a loved one in dying can carry severe legal consequences.
However, for many individuals and couples who have lived full lives together, the thought of one partner enduring unbearable suffering or of continuing alone after losing a soulmate becomes a deciding factor. And that is exactly the emotional crossroads where one British couple found themselves.
According to a report by News.com.au, 86-year-old Peter Scott, a retired RAF engineer, and his wife Christine, 80, a former nurse, have decided to end their lives together using a double ' suicide pod ' in Switzerland. The couple, married for 46 years, made the decision after Christine was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia, a condition she had seen too many times in her nursing career and feared deeply.
They have registered with “The Last Resort,” a Swiss organization that offers assisted dying through the Sarco pod — a capsule-like device that allows patients to initiate a peaceful, rapid death by releasing nitrogen and lowering oxygen levels. The design, first revealed at the Venice Design Festival in 2019, was created to minimize distress and offer comfort in one’s final moments.
Peter said, “Obviously, I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life... We understand other people may not share our feelings, and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose.”
Is voluntary death legal in India?
Euthanasia, or assisted dying, is not legal in India in the way it is in some countries like Switzerland or Canada. However, in a landmark 2018 judgment, the Supreme Court of India allowed passive euthanasia, which permits the withdrawal of life support for terminally ill or brain-dead patients under strict guidelines. Active euthanasia, where a person is directly administered a substance to cause death, remains illegal. The court also recognized the right to die with dignity and allowed individuals to create living wills, specifying their wish to refuse medical treatment in the future.
The argument mostly revolves around autonomy, that is, if people should have the right to choose the time and manner of their own passing. For those facing slow, degenerative illnesses or a life of pain, assisted dying may feel like the final act of personal agency and dignity.
Despite being legal in a few countries, such as Switzerland and Canada, it remains banned in several others, including the UK, where assisting a loved one in dying can carry severe legal consequences.
However, for many individuals and couples who have lived full lives together, the thought of one partner enduring unbearable suffering or of continuing alone after losing a soulmate becomes a deciding factor. And that is exactly the emotional crossroads where one British couple found themselves.
According to a report by News.com.au, 86-year-old Peter Scott, a retired RAF engineer, and his wife Christine, 80, a former nurse, have decided to end their lives together using a double ' suicide pod ' in Switzerland. The couple, married for 46 years, made the decision after Christine was diagnosed with early-stage vascular dementia, a condition she had seen too many times in her nursing career and feared deeply.
“We have had long, happy, healthy, fulfilled lives but here we are old and it does not do nice things to you,” Peter told News.com.au. “The idea of watching the slow degradation of Chris's mental abilities in parallel to my physical decline is horrific to me.”In June 2024, a Dutch couple, married for nearly 50 years, decided to end their lives together through assisted suicide.
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) July 4, 2024
Jan Faber and Els van Leeningen, aged 70 and 71, received a lethal injection simultaneously from two doctors, a procedure known as duo-euthanasia, which is… pic.twitter.com/H2AHuET2ie
They have registered with “The Last Resort,” a Swiss organization that offers assisted dying through the Sarco pod — a capsule-like device that allows patients to initiate a peaceful, rapid death by releasing nitrogen and lowering oxygen levels. The design, first revealed at the Venice Design Festival in 2019, was created to minimize distress and offer comfort in one’s final moments.
Peter said, “Obviously, I would care for her to the point I could not, but she has nursed enough people with dementia during her career to be adamant she wants to remain in control of herself and her life... We understand other people may not share our feelings, and we respect their position. What we want is the right to choose.”
Is voluntary death legal in India?
Euthanasia, or assisted dying, is not legal in India in the way it is in some countries like Switzerland or Canada. However, in a landmark 2018 judgment, the Supreme Court of India allowed passive euthanasia, which permits the withdrawal of life support for terminally ill or brain-dead patients under strict guidelines. Active euthanasia, where a person is directly administered a substance to cause death, remains illegal. The court also recognized the right to die with dignity and allowed individuals to create living wills, specifying their wish to refuse medical treatment in the future.
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