End-of-life care

I found Rev Dr John Cameron’s cavalier dismissal of the views of two palliative care physicians (Dr David Jeffrey of University of Dundee Medical School and Prof Marie Fallon of the University of Edinburgh, Letters 18 April) on end of life issues (Letters, 20 April) very revealing.

He seems to ignore the great advances that have been made in the field of palliative care and, instead of advocating its wider availability in general hospitals and the community in addition to the excellent hospice movement, uses the all too common stories of poor end-of-life care to argue for some form of euthanasia.

He ignores the fact that skilful use of opiates, along with holistic care, relieves pain and suffering without hastening the end of life.

Our humanity is best shown by compassionate care towards the end of life and not by the administration of a lethal drug. If this were to be legalised we would be saying that there is a life not worthy of life. Where would it stop?

(Rev Dr) Donald M MacDonald

Craiglockhart Grove

Edinburgh