Treatment withdrawal and assisted suicide

Question 1

Airedale NHS Trust v Bland (1993)

Answer 1

Since patient who was in a PVS for over 2 years could not give or withhold consent, it was reasonable for doctors to decide that withdrawal of treatment was in patient’s best interest.

Question 2

Law Hospital NHS Trust v Lord Advocate (1996)

Answer 2

Not unlawful to withdraw life support.

Question 3

R (Burke) v General Medical Council (2005)

Answer 3

Withdrawal of life support is not a breach of human rights, in particular art. 8.

Question 4

Pretty v United Kingdom (2002)

Answer 4

there is no ‘right to die’

Question 5

Ross v Lord Advocate

Answer 5

It’s not a crime in Scotland to assist another person to commit suicide along as the causal chain is broken (e.g. voluntarily ingesting lethal drugs)