Dr Ryan Spielvogel has supported people seeking help to die since it was legalised in California in June 2016, and visited the UK last week to share his experience with MPs in Westminster and Scotland.
He told the Express: "Helping people end their suffering is one of the highest callings I have ever answered and it's one of the most important and rewarding things I have ever done as a doctor." Patients in California must be terminally ill, mentally competent adults with a prognosis of six months or less to be eligible.
Some 4,287 people had ended their lives through assisted dying in the state up to the end of 2023. Last year, 1,281 were prescribed life-ending medication and 858 died after taking it.
When the law changed, GP Dr Spielvogel was not entirely sure how he felt about it but agreed to take part in training.
He remembers clearly the first patient he saw an 80-year-old man with chronic kidney disease for whom dialysis was not working.
Bu hikaye Daily Express dergisinin November 22, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Daily Express dergisinin November 22, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
BAXTER BASICS
Fin has a simple plan to end jinx
LEWIS MAKES QUICK U-TURN
Hamilton admits he wanted to leave Mercedes early
War hero Ray dies at age 105
RAYMOND Whitwell an ordinary man who did the extraordinary for Britain during the Second World War - has died aged 105.
Adventurer's discovery in remote ocean shocks marine science experts
THERE'S no escaping microplastic pollution in our oceans...traces have now reached the most remote water on Earth.
Woman battles ex in row over £18m property
A WOMAN is locked in a court fight with her tycoon ex after claiming she was promised half of their £18million house.
UK choir is world's favourite boyband
THEY can lay claim to being the world's biggest boyband with millions of fans globally - yet many of us haven't heard of South London sensations Libera.
Helping terminally ill patients to end their suffering is one of the most rewarding things that I've ever done
HAVING the option of an assisted death \"takes the fear out of the dying process\" for terminally ill patients, a US medic says.
Storm Bert sweeps in as snow shuts schools
HUNDREDS of schools closed yesterday as snow hit parts of the UK - and there is weekend chaos to come when Storm Bert barrels in.
£72m cost of Charles' cut-price Coronation
TAXPAYERS spent £72million on the King's Coronation last May less than half that of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, according to Government figures.
British lawyer, 28, dies with four others after free shots' poisoning
A BRITISH lawyer has died on holiday in Laos after apparently being poisoned by a drink contaminated with methanol.
