MORE BRITONS BECOME SUICIDE TOURISTS
Euthanasia campaigners in the UK are commemorating the fifth anniversary of the death of Diane Pretty. She suffered from motor neurone disease and in 2002 died after losing a long legal battle to seek immunity from prosecution for her husband so that he could help her commit suicide.
To mark the occasion, activists released figures about an increase in the number of Britons who are travelling to Switzerland to seek out a suicide clinic in Zurich run by the group Dignitas. In all 76 have died there. About 14 a year made the trip in 2003, 2004 and 2005, but the figure rose to more than 30 in 2006.
Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.
Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
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