A British Baroness’ plan to reduce health care costs: kill the alzheimer's patients

Baroness Mary Warnock, one of Great Britain’s most influential experts on both education and medical ethics, has raised the ire of British citizens, charities and pro-life organizations by stating that, “Elderly people with dementia are 'wasting' the lives of those who have to care for them.”

Warnock became a vocal supporter of euthanasia – here in the colonies we call it assisted-suicide - after her terminally ill husband was helped to die by his doctor more than a decade ago.

The Baroness, best known for leading a controversial 1970’s commission that determined disabled and emotionally-disturbed children should attend the same schools as children without special needs, told “Life and Work” magazine: “If you are demented, you are wasting people's lives, your family's lives, and you are wasting the resources of the National Health Service.”

In the interview with “Life and Work” (a publication of the Church of Scotland), Warnock reinforced her position on euthanasia and then added, “But I feel there is a wider argument that if somebody absolutely, desperately wants to die because they are a burden to their family or the state, then I think they too should be allowed to die.”

This is not the first time Lady Warnock has suggested that the sick and elderly should choose death. In 2006 she supported an attempt by fellow peers to push through a law allowing doctors to assist in the death of patients suffering unbearable pain.

Neil Hunt, a spokesman for the Alzheimer's Society, told London’s Daily Mail that, “To suggest that people with dementia should feel that they have some sort of duty to kill themselves is nothing short of barbaric.”

British health officials estimate that 700,000 of its citizens suffer from dementia and the number is expected to double over the next 30 years.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, added that: “Lady Warnock demonstrates a shocking ignorance when espousing her highly insensitive views. The solution to our dementia crisis is not euthanasia; the answer is more research so we can find new treatments, preventions and a cure.”

Maybe it’s just me, but when someone such as Baroness Warnock repeatedly mentions the effect this disease has on government, it reeks of something that has very little to do with compassion, but instead with a whole lot of concern about saving the state a little cash.

Granted, many view euthanasia/assisted suicide as a kind and caring answer to debilitating health conditions and constant incurable pain, but Warnock’s strongest critics point to a thin line between this thought process and one that would lead to “putting down” disabled children at birth.

“We always thought Lady Warnock was in favor of coercive or compulsory euthanasia,” said Right to Life’s Phyllis Bowman. “But her views are really just an illustration that while euthanasia is promoted as a right to choose, it pretty rapidly becomes no right to live.”

Especially if those doing the living are draining the government coffers.

Although, rushing to meet the Reaper could ultimately be declared as patriotic as, I don’t know, paying higher taxes?

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