"Better off dead!" is a BBC documentary revealing the risks inherent in euthanasia, produced by Liz Carr, a British actress. She herself suffers from a rare genetic disease and defends the rights of those suffering from handicap.
In this documentary, which is easily accessible on line, Liz Carr discusses with supporters of euthanasia, while it is not legal in the United Kingdom. She unveils the profound motivation which often pushes them to call for its legalisation: a strong need for control over their life. However, the desire to control one's life until death includes an implicit message: "Certain lives are not worth living". That message, according to Liz Carr, is "terrifying" for the most vulnerable.
The documentary also demolishes the implacable spirals which generate the abuses observed in those states which have legalised euthanasia.
Can the need for control be the ultimate argument in support of euthanasia and assisted suicide?
In a gripping dialogue with Lord Falconer, a supporter of legalisation, the question was asked directly: " Is legalisation, a question of suffering or a question of control?" The answer was clear: "It's a question of control", and he added " There will always be people, even those well looked after under palliative care, who will wish to control the process and be able to put an end to the process". The answer is logical.
Indeed, the advances made in medicine have considerably extended therapeutic possibilities and pain relief has seen real progress. If the ultimate question concerns pain relief, then a true policy devoted to palliative care and accompaniment would be the appropriate response. It would then need to address the situations of lack of access to care through human and financial means. The debate in France has also illustrated the fact. The recent voting for the law on palliative care did nothing to calm the claims by the proponents of euthanasia.
However, this need for control is contradictory: One's autonomy is being claimed through a third party, a carer and society as a whole through the voting for a law, as pointed out to Lord Falconer by Liz Carr : " It seems to me on the contrary that euthanasia represents a loss of control since you are put in the hands of the government and medical staff !"
In a second dialogue, Dr Ellen Wiebe, a doctor practising hundreds of euthanasia in Canada, again explains that "The number 1 reason for which people are seeking euthanasia, is autonomy, control".
The changing boundaries of the "framework"
During his meeting with Liz Carr, Lord Falconer attempted to reassure. Certainly, there may be pressures to extend the access criteria. But, he said "we shall draw a line in the sand" to prevent such abuses. The next scene in the documentary shows a beach in Canada, and asks the following question: "What can be more changeable than a line drawn in the sand?" Canada is the best example of the abuses to the legalisation of euthanasia. The figures are well known. In 6 years, the number of euthanasia has risen from 1,000 to 13,000. The extension of access criteria has occurred rapidly. The documentary interviewed two witnesses of tragedies caused by this situation.
Amir Farsoud, a man suffering from a long-term illness and poverty had his application for euthanasia accepted. However, by his own admission, he "did not wish to die". Affected by his plight, a woman organised an appeal to enable him to clear his debts and continue living. During our Bioethics Conference in 2023, we reported on this worrying case.
Alicia Duncan, a young woman, describes how her mother, Donna, was also euthanised whilst suffering from health problems as a result of a car crash. The second evaluation which authorised her euthanasia was merely conducted by telephone and neither of the two doctors who signed had ever met the patient prior to the interview. Her daughter stated that the GP who had been treating her mother for more than 20 years would never have authorised euthanasia.
The reason why the law must protect the most vulnerable
In a further interview, Dr Katherine Sleeman, a specialist in Palliative care adds two important remarks to the debate. First of all, she notes that the two medical specialities most ardently opposed to euthanasia are palliative care and geriatricians. "It is not surprising" she says "that the doctors who spend the most time with the vulnerable should be the most strongly against euthanasia". Moreover, we know how sensitive such people are to the pressures of their entourage or of society. Regularly she hears the aged telling her "I don't want to go to a care home but my family is pushing me." The doctor adds: "If the care home is replaced by euthanasia, imagine what will happen!".
The documentary ends as it started. By questioning people suffering from handicap. Regularly, they report that people say to them "If I were you, I'd rather die! "
One of them answered "I am assisted for my daily hygiene needs, I have learnt that I have an inherent dignity, and in fact I feel I have more freedom and security! Because my dignity is within me, I would like more people to have the security of knowing it."
Another person stated, not without humour as a British citizen, " Nobody is an island. Society is terrified of becoming like us. We are not and cannot be completely independent from one another".
This message appealing for support and true solidarity, resonates strongly at a time when the National Assembly is resuming its debates on the proposed bill for legalising euthanasia assisted suicide.