The problem of prognostication in assisted dying.

The UK government is debating legislation to allow assisted dying in England and Wales, which puts doctors at the forefront of deciding if their patient will be eligible for a medically assisted death - the key criteria being a 6 month prognosis. But is making a 6 month prognosis actually clinically reliable?

To discuss we're joined by a panel of experts on end of life;

• Scott Murray, emeritus professor of primary palliative care at the University of Edinburgh
• Simon Etkind, assistant professor of palliative care at the University of Cambridge
• Nancy Preston, professor of supportive and palliative care, Lancaster University
• Suzanne Ost, professor of law, Lancaster University

Reading list

Assisted dying and the difficulties of predicting end of life

Breaching the stalemate on assisted dying: it’s time to move beyond a medicalised approach

 

Also in this episode, we dim the lights and raise the curtains - there is a public fascination with doctors who kill and the stage show turned podcast, ‘An Appointment with Murder’, takes a deep dive into the crimes of GPs John Bodkin-Adams and Harold Shipman.

Kamran is joined by Harry Brunjes and Andrew Johns to talk medical murder.

An Appointment With Murder on Apple Podcasts