Assisted Dying: What might the final moments be like?
Summary
Inside Health delves into the practicalities and potential realities of assisted dying's final moments with an expert panel, discussing drug protocols and societal impact. The episode also fact-checks viral claims about consuming microplastics, like a credit card's worth per week. Finally, listener questions on hearing loss are answered, covering NHS vs private hearing aids, using remote microphones, the link to balance, noise exposure from loud events, and the potential use of devices like AirPods.Episode description
We continue our exploration of some of the issues that could crop up if assisted dying becomes law under The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is currently working its way through Parliament.
Today we consider what those final moments might be like and if the ideal of a peaceful death is a reality with the drug options currently available.
To discuss we're joined by:
Katherine Sleeman - Professor of Palliative Care at King's College London David Nicholl - Consultant Neurologist at University Hospital Birmingham Mark Taubert - Consultant Palliative Medicine at NHS Wales Erica Borgstrom - Professor of Medical Anthropology at The Open University
It's claimed that within each of us there is a credit card's worth of microplastics. We dig into the figures underlying that with Kit Yates, Professor of Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath.
And, we answer your questions after our programme on hearing loss with audiologist Dr Hannah Cooper, Kevin Munro, Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester and Nish Mehta, an Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon at Royal National ENT Hospital.
Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Hannah Robins and Tom Bonnett Editor: Holly Squire