SCA hears arguments on the legality of euthanasia

SA not ‘educated enough’ for euthanasia

Bloemfontein - South Africans are not ready for the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) argued in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Friday.

The HPCSA fears euthanasia can be abused in South Africa, because of the power imbalance in doctor-patient relationships.

The HPCSA is one of four parties appealing against a judgment by the High Court in Pretoria, handed down on April 30 last year.

The court handed down an order allowing terminally ill Robin Stransham-Ford, 65, to administer a lethal agent to himself or have a medical practitioner assist him, without the threat of prosecution or disciplinary proceedings.

He died about two hours before the verdict was handed down.

People who were terminally ill were not only vulnerable because of their disease. Lower levels of education caused an even greater power imbalance in their relationship with their doctors.

In developed countries such as the Netherlands, Canada, and the US state of Oregon, voluntary euthanasia is legal.

"In our community, there are people, including doctors, who will do anything for money and would not hesitate to abuse this power imbalance between doctor and patient for financial gain.

"The prohibition of voluntary euthanasia protects the vulnerable and society against this evil."

Advocate C H Bergen and A J D'Oliveira presented argument on behalf of the HPCSA.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/sa-not-educated-enough-for-euthanasia-20161104
 
If a nation abandons the sanctity of life then it should not be surprised by the horrors that follow. If you look back at the history of the 20th century there were a lot of people who deemed the lives of a certain segment of society worthless. Great genocide usually accompanied this selective nihilism.
 
we must be told how to live, we must be told how to die.

voetsek.
 
Bloemfontein - South Africans are not ready for the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) argued in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Friday.

The HPCSA fears euthanasia can be abused in South Africa, because of the power imbalance in doctor-patient relationships.

The HPCSA is one of four parties appealing against a judgment by the High Court in Pretoria, handed down on April 30 last year.

The court handed down an order allowing terminally ill Robin Stransham-Ford, 65, to administer a lethal agent to himself or have a medical practitioner assist him, without the threat of prosecution or disciplinary proceedings.

He died about two hours before the verdict was handed down.

People who were terminally ill were not only vulnerable because of their disease. Lower levels of education caused an even greater power imbalance in their relationship with their doctors.

In developed countries such as the Netherlands, Canada, and the US state of Oregon, voluntary euthanasia is legal.

"In our community, there are people, including doctors, who will do anything for money and would not hesitate to abuse this power imbalance between doctor and patient for financial gain.

"The prohibition of voluntary euthanasia protects the vulnerable and society against this evil."

Advocate C H Bergen and A J D'Oliveira presented argument on behalf of the HPCSA.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/sa-not-educated-enough-for-euthanasia-20161104
Click to expand...
Only if those "doctors" are witchdoctors.

CorrieDeBeer said:
If a nation abandons the sanctity of life then it should not be surprised by the horrors that follow. If you look back at the history of the 20th century there were a lot of people who deemed the lives of a certain segment of society worthless. Great genocide usually accompanied this selective nihilism.
Click to expand...
Try another straw man. Everyone who makes those arguments have a quite different view when faced with the situation, just look at Tutu. The countries where it's legalised have shown the exact opposite, quality of life for terminally ill patients increases.
 
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...
It they're dead they can't feel any more. How dumb do you have to be to argue against that, or are you claiming that they go to hell? :rolleyes:

Individuals that have the option are more at ease during final treatment that's where quality of life comes in. They also don't have to waste money on failed treatments to alleviate their suffering so they can be more assured their family members are better taken care of.
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...
Make a fire , stick your hand in it , image your whole body with that type of pain . Doctors tell you you will sit with this pain rest of your life . Pain medication does not help . Im sure you will also want to die.
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...
This isn't about killing healthy people.
It's about people with terminal illnesses or degrading and incurable diseases having the right to end their misery and suffering.
Or would you prefer those people be kept alive for lolz?
 
Happy to see the court giving a dying person a choice not to suffer any more. It shows a big step up in human wisdom and display of conscience of an evolving moral compass towards a more compassionate approach on death.
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...
Watch Terry pratchett on this.

I fully support this.
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...

One day when you contract a terrible illness lying in agony in a hospital bed for ages suffering away I would like to hear you comment again.

For now the HPCSA & religious nutters that wan't to enforce their will when it it comes to the life of another person can go screw themselves. It's not your body, not your life so mind your own business. How does those that chose this path affect your life in any way, what's it to you? If you wanna suffer for a few years before death then do so, it's your choice and I will not deny you that.
 
Last edited:
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...

No irony, it's this or possibly years of pain and suffering.
 
CorrieDeBeer said:
Alleviating suffering? My God how are you alleviating suffering by killing a person?

Do you not see the irony in claiming the quality of life improves by the taking of a life? How can the quality of your life improve when you are dead?
Click to expand...

Surely the quality of a person's life is solely determined by the person living it? Who the hell are you to say what a person should or should not do with their own life?
 
saor said:
Would be so much more helpful if you posted a link to what you're talking about.
Click to expand...

[video=youtube_share;VCNhq9iL-lU]https://youtu.be/VCNhq9iL-lU[/video]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X