“Right to die”: Legal view of right to life and death could threaten philosophy of palliative care

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7504.1388

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John C Chambers, medical director (dr.ch@mbers.info)

Katharine House Hospice, Adderbury, Oxfordshire OX17 3NL

EDITOR—Grayling claims that the “right to life” means quite a rich life; withholding treatment with death as the result and giving treatment that causes death are indistinguishable; and death is the ultimate analgesic.1 Grayling also implies that the double effect is widely abused.

The EC Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms protects against intentional deprivation of life.2 Quality of life is not mentioned, and terminating …