Assisted Dying: Who Makes the Final Choice?

The latest developments in the arguments for and against assisted dying, with a foreword by Terry Pratchett

Assisted dying is perhaps one of the most divisive issues of the modern age, generating endless headlines and moral debates. Published in conjunction with the organization Dignity in Dying, this important book provides a forum for expert commentators in a variety of fields, including religion and medicine, to explore whether the most humane response to the torment and helplessness of certain severely incapacitated individuals is to assist them in their wish to die. This collection is edited by two proponents of greater choice at the end of life, and all the contributors support the need to change the law. Starting from a position that the current legal situation is untenable, detailed case studies shed light on the negative consequences of the current state of the law which forbids assisted dying, and the lack of choices offered to dying people who are suffering intolerably at the moment. The book's case studies punctuate chapters, written by a variety of authors, about different aspects of the subject: these chapters attempt to address the concerns raised by the case studies.

Jo Cartwright is the publicity manager for Dignity in Dying, the London-based charity which is fighting to change the law on assisted dying in the UK and internationally. Lesley Mary Close is a patron and spokesperson of Dignity In Dying. Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English author of fantasy novels, especially comical works. He is best known for the Discworld series of about 40 volumes. He has sold more than 85 million books worldwide in 37 languages.