Ethics and euthanasia Opinion polls not decisive

EDITOR, - The emotive tone and inaccurate reporting in Madeleine Simms's letter are good examples of why the objective, dispassionate, and rigorous House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics unanimously rejected euthanasia.1 Simms states that in a survey carried out in April last year by National Opinion Polls “79% wanted the law to be changed to legalise voluntary euthanasia,” and she then quotes correctly from the question asked. But the question asked of the public began, “Some people say that the law should allow adults to receive medical help to a peaceful death.2 There was no mention of voluntary euthanasia - indeed, the question could be referring to good palliative care. The Lords …