April 19, 2024
end of life issues

Family doctor helped “up to 30” to end their lives at clinic

Mumbai

A former GP from the UK admitted last week to helping as many as 30 people to end their lives at Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland.

A former GP from the UK admitted last week to helping as many as 30 people to end their lives at Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland. Dr Michael Irwin, 80, who was nicknamed “Dr Death” after he accompanied 4 people to Dignitas, sparked controversy this week when he said he was prepared to take a 91-year-old arthritis sufferer to Dignitas even though she was not terminally ill. He said that police contacted him to find out the name of the pensioner in question, but that he did not tell them. Irwin was removed from the medical register in 2005 for attempting to help someone commit suicide.

“I spoke to a very nice lady detective who asked me if I would give her the information,” Dr Irwin said. “I said that as a former GP I knew about confidentiality and this lady didn’t want any media attention, so I wasn’t prepared to name her.” In an interview for The London Telegraph He told police that he did not expect to accompany the woman to Zurich as “she has friends who are willing to take her.” The woman contacted him through a third party earlier this year, and he gave her advice by telephone on filling out forms required by Swiss law for assisted suicide.

While Irwin has physically accompanied 4 patients to Dignitas, he says he has helped far more by giving them advice. “I have helped 25 or 30 people who have gone to Dignitas, and many others who didn’t,” he said. “I get two or three calls a month from complete strangers asking for advice.” ~ London Telegraph, Sep 10

Family doctor helped “up to 30” to end their lives at clinic
Jared Yee
Dignitas
suicide
Switzerland
UK

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