Britain: GP's admission may lead to fresh charges

Description: [of the article from The Independent]

An excerpt: "Medical opinion has been polarised after revelations yesterday by a former GP who admitted to helping dozens of his patients to die. The police are considering whether there is scope for fresh charges against Dr Howard Martin, who was struck off the medical register last week after he was found guilty of giving unjustifiably high doses of powerful painkillers to 18 patients.

The former GP broke a long silence to admit that, despite being cleared of three murders in 2005, he did deliberately hasten those patients' deaths, as well as countless others. Dr Martin, 75, claimed he was motivated by "Christian compassion" rather than any malice or desire to "play God".

Two eminent medical experts who gave evidence at Dr Martin's murder trial were divided yesterday as to whether his actions were medically justified or simply unlawful."

[There is information in the Notes section below.]
[There are other related stories in the Links section below.]

Links:

To read the full article click on one of these links, both of which go to the same destination. A short link is provided for the convenience of readers. Also, readers may search and browse past and future advisories on the web (see bottom.)

  • http://tinyurl.com/36ryzp4

  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/gps-admission-may-lead-to-fresh-charges-2005429.html

    Also see:

  • Dr James Le Fanu on Dr Howard Martin [Telegraph]
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthadvice/jameslefanu/7841071/Dr-James-Le-Fanu-on-Dr-Howard-Martin.html
    The concluding paragraphs: "It is more difficult to appreciate his purpose in giving hefty doses of morphine to patients already semi-comatose, or who would have died naturally within a few hours. And beyond that, his behaviour in several instances was clearly indefensible - lying to relatives that a patient's cancer "had spread throughout his body", or giving large doses of morphine to a man who was not only apparently pain-free but "laughing and talking" earlier that day.

    There could, at first sight, be no more persuasive argument against permitting doctors to use their discretion as to when and how to assist their patients' onward journey. But there is no ideal solution. A mix of palliative care, good nursing and powerful drugs is the best system available - but like any form of medical treatment, it has its limits.

    It seem only right, then, that those enduring their last months in pain and misery should be able, if they so wish, to call it a day - but they have no legal right to do so. Doctors being human, and being armed with the necessary means, will carry on relieving their patients' suffering by accelerating an inevitable demise with powerful opiates. And that situation will continue until - if ever - the law changes to sanction and regulate physician-assisted suicide.    "

  • The end-of-life dilemmas experienced by GPs [BBC News]
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/10358074.stm
    The report starts: "It is one of the starkest ethical dilemmas a doctor can face. Confronted with a patient who is experiencing great suffering, do you help them end their lives and, at the same time, their pain?

    The law is clear: actively carrying out euthanasia is illegal. However, the case of Dr Howard Martin - who told the Daily Telegraph that he hastened patients' deaths out of "Christian compassion" - illustrates the ethical pressures faced by medical practitioners. Even those with strong moral objections to doctors ending the lives of those in their care admit that some cases can test their resolve.    "

    Later in the story, there are comments from Dr Andrew Fergusson, a member of the Christian Medical Fellowship and an anti-euthanasia campaigner, and Dr Michael Irwin, 79, of Surrey, and Debbie Purdy.

Source:

Lakhani, Nina. "GP's admission may lead to fresh charges". The Independent. Sunday, 20 June 2010. <www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/gps-admission-may-lead-to-fresh-charges-2005429.html>. The Independent, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF, UK.

Tags:

Tags (or keywords) briefly indicate some major topics of the report.

  • euthanasia

  • active euthanasia

  • doctor

  • Britain

Notes:

Videos:

  • Dr. Jack Kevorkian on Larry King Live [Politically Illustrated]
    http://politicallyillustrated.com/index.php?/news_page/video/1490/
    [A video can be viewed from this page.] The report begins: "Doctor Jack Kevorkian, a doctor known for wanting to kill his patients, joined Larry King on Friday in support of medically-assisted suicide.

    "They do it secretly now. Doctors do it secretly now. Also, you have spouses where one shoots and kills the other and then has to commit suicide because they are afraid of prosecution. These are unnecessary deaths, unnecessary suffering," Dr. Jack Kevorkian told Larry King.

    What would be his ideal law?

    "They would contact the doctor, the doctor would find out the complaint. The doctor would receive the clients medical records and research past treatments and analyze if anything else is possible to cure the pain. What works, what doesn't…" said Dr. Kevorkian.    "

  • Video: Nitschke on pressure testing a helium cylinder [Twitter]
    http://twitter.com/philipnitschke

    Philip Nitschke: "I uploaded a YouTube video —  Helium Final.wmv"

ID:

The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid201006218108.
Mailed: Monday, June 21, 2010 13:56:46 -0600
at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Etcetera:

EuthaNEWSia is a free Canadian news advisory service covering end-of-life issues such as right to die, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. EuthaNEWSia is produced by the Right to Die Society of Canada which works toward a good death for all, including open, regulated and equitable access to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The editor is Michael Dawson <editor@euthanewsia.ca>. 

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