Two doctors were arrested for euthanizing ALS patients

[Ripple]

Hello, dear friends. This is my first post.
I am posting from Japan.Yesterday in Japan,
two doctors were arrested for euthanizing a 51 year old woman
suffering from ALS on July 23rd. The arrested doctors were my friends.
The patient was suffering from TLS［Totally Locked-in State].
The drug used was Pentobarbital. In Japan, assisted suicide is strictly regulated.
100,000 people a year commit suicide in Japan.
I have great respect for Dr. Philip Nitschke.
Thank you for reading.
I pray that you will find peace.

 

[Zappfe lover]

Hello, dear friends. This is my first post.
I am posting from Japan.Yesterday in Japan,
two doctors were arrested for euthanizing a 51 year old woman
suffering from ALS on July 23rd. The arrested doctors were my friends.
The patient was suffering from TLS［Totally Locked-in State].
The drug used was Pentobarbital. In Japan, assisted suicide is strictly regulated.
100,000 people a year commit suicide in Japan.
I have great respect for Dr. Philip Nitschke.
Thank you for reading.
I pray that you will find peace.

It's truly a shame that heroes are treated like that...

 

[lifeisbutadream]

I thought that Japan had a more enlightened view of suicide with less anathema attached to it and even a tradition of ritual suicide and "divine wind" kamikazes.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

I'm curious how the patient requested this if they were in that state.

 

[GrassFields]

As someone diagnosed with ALS, it's a shame that these physicians are facing prosecution if they were carrying out the will of their patients. ALS has a ghastly progression and that leads to a horrific quality of life in the final stages. If these doctors were following the wishes of their patients and acting out of compassion with the patient's best interest at heart, this might start a dialogue in the country on formalizing assisted dying laws into more approachable terms.

 

[TAW122]

This is disheartening to hear, especially for our pro-choice community.

As @GoodPersonEffed asked, I too, wondered what the process is for requesting such a service. Additionally, I am also curious to know how a patient's request can used as a defense to prosecution, in other words, prove that the patient actually consented, and wanted said service (voluntary euthanasia). I assume there may be a written request, a verbal one, and maybe video? I don't know.

 

[Soul]

Someone with ALS might well have an advance directive. I have one - notarized even - and my illness isn't that bad yet.

@Ripple, if you have a chance please give my thanks and praises to those doctors.

 

[catscradle]

I saw this, and I also saw a disability advocate I follow on Twitter shaming the doctors because even if the woman asked for it, it's "still murder".
I wish people would understand.

 

[catscradle]

I thought that Japan had a more enlightened view of suicide with less anathema attached to it and even a tradition of ritual suicide and "divine wind" kamikazes.

I can't speak for history, but from my understanding of modern Japan, mental health care is basically non-existent, especially if you're a foreigner (the main reason that, despite my immense interest in Japan, I can never move there). suicide is also treated as a social issue rather than a public health issue or personal choice.

 

[Meditation guide]

two doctors were arrested for euthanizing a 51 year old woman
suffering from ALS on July 23rd. The arrested doctors were my friends.
The patient was suffering from TLS［Totally Locked-in State].

The fact that these heroic doctors were arrested for showing such compassion is horrific.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

Two doctors suspected of getting paid to help Kyoto woman die

The two doctors allegedly administered a sedative to the woman at her home in Kyoto in November last year with her consent, investigative sources said.

www.japantimes.co.jp

2 doctors held in suspected homicide with consent | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

NHK has learned that Japanese police have arrested two doctors on suspicion of killing a woman with a progressive degenerative disease at her request.

www3.nhk.or.jp

 

[grungeCat]

Normie police always upheld to intervene situations they can't make heads nor tails of

 

[Meditation guide]

That article said they were paid $9500 to euthanize her. She must have paid them first. She couldn't have done it afterwards. Seems like a service that would be much in demand.

 

[Ripple]

It's truly a shame that heroes are treated like that...

Thanks for your comment.I think so, too.
Your icon is Louise(The Familiar of Zero).
It's cute and I like it too.

I thought that Japan had a more enlightened view of suicide with less anathema attached to it and even a tradition of ritual suicide and "divine wind" kamikazes.

Many Japanese, including myself, are very scared of death.

I'm curious how the patient requested this if they were in that state.

It looks like she made the request beforehand,
before her condition worsened.

This is disheartening to hear, especially for our pro-choice community.

As @GoodPersonEffed asked, I too, wondered what the process is for requesting such a service. Additionally, I am also curious to know how a patient's request can used as a defense to prosecution, in other words, prove that the patient actually consented, and wanted said service (voluntary euthanasia). I assume there may be a written request, a verbal one, and maybe video? I don't know.

Her twitter DM recorded her interactions with the doctors.

Someone with ALS might well have an advance directive. I have one - notarized even - and my illness isn't that bad yet.

@Ripple, if you have a chance please give my thanks and praises to those doctors.

Thank you, I appreciate it.
I'll do my best to get them acquitted.

I saw this, and I also saw a disability advocate I follow on Twitter shaming the doctors because even if the woman asked for it, it's "still murder".
I wish people would understand.

I had the same experience.
A lot of people condemn doctors, but I think they did the right thing.

The fact that these heroic doctors were arrested for showing such compassion is horrific.

I totally agree with you.

Two doctors suspected of getting paid to help Kyoto woman die

The two doctors allegedly administered a sedative to the woman at her home in Kyoto in November last year with her consent, investigative sources said.

www.japantimes.co.jp

2 doctors held in suspected homicide with consent | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

NHK has learned that Japanese police have arrested two doctors on suspicion of killing a woman with a progressive degenerative disease at her request.

www3.nhk.or.jp

Thanks for the supplement.
The article states that the doctors
performed the procedure for money, which is not true.
It is for justice.

That article said they were paid $9500 to euthanize her. She must have paid them first. She couldn't have done it afterwards. Seems like a service that would be much in demand.

>>She must have paid them first.
Yes, that's right.
Sorry for the delay in replying because I was interviewed by the media.

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

Society needs to get over this notion that people lives belong to some higher power. I consider myself religious and even I believe that I have the right to decide what happens to my life. You'd have to be dense to not see these doctors' actions as humane and compassionate.

 

[Zappfe lover]

Thanks for your comment.I think so, too.
Your icon is Louise(The Familiar of Zero).
It's cute and I like it too.

Anyone that likes Louise is a good person

 

[Ripple]

Society needs to get over this notion that people lives belong to some higher power. I consider myself religious and even I believe that I have the right to decide what happens to my life. You'd have to be dense to not see these doctors' actions as humane and compassionate.

Thanks for your comment.
I totally agree with you.

 

[TAW122]

I saw this, and I also saw a disability advocate I follow on Twitter shaming the doctors because even if the woman asked for it, it's "still murder".
I wish people would understand.

This is one of the reasons when I used to look up to disability advocates for giving people with disabilities a voice, but later resented them because they are very pro-life and would not even consider CTB to be an option. They don't have to support CTB, but don't shame and deny CTB as an option. Having options (especially to CTB, even if not exercised or used) available helps the person know that they have a way out and may help them feel less trapped. I don't agree with the logic that if one has a way out (through CTB) that would disincentivize them to get better or try other solutions. That is just pro-life anti-choice BS logic.

 

[ebt88]

I'm confused, euthanasia in Japan is legal. Why were they arrested? Did they do something ilegal?

 

[Bauhaus]

The fact that these heroic doctors were arrested for showing such compassion is horrific.

It's about time they changed the Hippocratic oath.
The doctor's task is not necessarily to prolong the patient's life, but rather to shorten the patient's suffering. A big difference.
It's also the problem in the US where convicts who are giving the death penalty by lethal injection suffer because the injection is given by amateurs and not by doctors because of this oath.