Main issue is one of autonomy

Dear Sir,

Regarding your article on assisted dying in last week's Chronicle, the main issue is one of autonomy.

Maintaining control over what happens to them is often the paramount issue for people approaching the end of their life.

Suicide is a legal action and it is right that people so incapacitated that they cannot end their own life, while being independently assessed to fulfi l the criteria for assisted dying, are helped to do so.

As long as the law is devised so this is constantly the objective with appropriate safeguards, I can see no objection to it.

If it is not certain what the effected person wants, then assistance would be denied.

It should be remembered that these circumstances only apply to a small proportion of those who are approaching the end of their lives.

Yours faithfully,

(DR) PETER HIRST

Middlewich.