My Death My Decision

My Death, My Decision (MDMD) is a group based in the United Kingdom concerned with choice at the end of life.

The main long-term objective of MDMD is to campaign to get the law eventually changed in the UK so that mentally competent individuals who are suffering unbearably from incurable health problems, are allowed to receive a physician's assistance to die, if this is their persistent request.^[1]

Other activities and objectives of MDMD include advocating the use of Advance Decisions (also known as "living wills"), holding public meetings including an Annual Lectures, encouraging discussion regarding choice at the end of life, promote debate and discussion on end-of-life issues including physician-assisted suicide, determining the degree of UK public support for assisted dying, and maintaining communities of members who can give each other support and guidance in examining options for a legal medically assisted death abroad, whilst this option is unavailable in the UK. ^[2][3]

MDMD notes that a national ICM Research opinion poll from 2013 showed that 70-78% of the UK population are in support of people being legally able to receive a physician’s assistance to die if they are mentally competent and suffering terminal illness or elderly health problems.^[4]

MDMD is a member of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies.^[5]

It was established as SOARS on December 10, 2009 (Human Rights Day) by Dr. Michael Irwin, a former Medical Director of the United Nations who has campaigned extensively for voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.^[6]

The MDMD logo is the derelict West Pier in Brighton, England where the society was founded. It is chosen because it “was once a place of great excitement and pleasure”.^[1]

References

External links

• Brewer, Colin and Irwin, Michael (2015). “I’ll See Myself Out, Thank You” – Thirty personal views in support of physician-assisted suicide. Skyscraper Publications. ISBN 978-0992627096