Switzerland May Expand Assisted Suicide Law to Mental Illness

[Rage for Order]

Thought I'd cross-post this from LBN for those who don't frequent LBN

From AP:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070203/ap_on_re_eu/switzer...

A ruling by Switzerland's highest court released Friday has opened up the possibility that people with serious mental illnesses could be helped by doctors to take their own lives. Switzerland already allows physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients under certain circumstances. The Federal Tribunal's decision puts mental illnesses on the same level as physical ones.

"It must be recognized that an incurable, permanent, serious mental disorder can cause similar suffering as a physical (disorder), making life appear unbearable to the patient in the long term," the ruling said.

"If the death wish is based on an autonomous decision which takes all circumstances into account, then a mentally ill person can be prescribed sodium-pentobarbital and thereby assisted in suicide," it added.

"A distinction has to be made between a death wish which is an expression of a curable, psychiatric disorder and which requires treatment, and (a death wish) which is based on a person of sound judgment's own well-considered and permanent decision, which must be respected," they said.

More at the link...

This seems like an awfully slippery slope to me. At what point is a mentally ill person un-mentally ill enough to make a rational, lucid decision related to ending their life? If one is opposed to capital punishment for mentally ill prisoners, would the same standard not also apply here?


edit to add the LBN link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2715050