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Nexus Six's avatar

Woes what you say is logical and correct but you've missed one core issue:

Greedy relatives who want the old person to die as soon as possible and who shame and pressure him into doing so.

In a society without euthanasia tough shit you wait. In a society with it the coercion works.

And when it works it quickly escalates. In the Netherlands a quarter of deaths are MAID.

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Doc's avatar

I think you have to distinguish palliative care which happens to hasten death, and deliberate ending of life at a particular time/date.

The first remains entirely legal, and plenty of palliative care doctors say it is really suitable for a great many.

If society also wants the second, then maybe something like what you propose is the right thing. The key I think is that it be administered by a separate cadre of care professionals. You shouldn't have to worry that your doctor wants to kill you. Deliberate end of life services should be the sole province of a separate Royal College of licenced professionals. They can develop the professional standards as needed - with the focus of a dignified death, quite distinct from those whose role is to preserve life.

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