(SABC) The high court in Pretoria has ruled that a medical doctor cannot be prosecuted if he assists a patient requesting to die.
Robin Stransham-Ford has asked the court to rule that a doctor who accedes to a patient’s request to be assisted to end his or her life is guilty of no wrongdoing.
He argues that not being able to do so, and spend his last days in pain and suffering, infringes on his constitutional right to dignity.
Stransham-Ford is suffering from terminal prostate cancer.
Robin Stransham-Ford, 65, a former advocate, was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in September 2013.
His lawyer HB Marais wanted Judge Hans Fabricius to hand down an order that would allow a doctor to give him drugs he would take himself to end his own life. If he is unable to administer them himself, the doctor must be allowed to do it, without fear of being prosecuted.
The justice and health ministers, Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) and National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) were opposing the application.
The case is a first in South Africa’n legal history.A terminally ill patient has approached the courts requesting an assisted death without prosecution.
Dignity South Africa on Wednesday said it hoped to see a change in legislation on assisted suicide.
This as the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria deliberated on an application.
A terminally ill cancer patient approached the court on Wednesday asking for an amendment to the law regarding assisted death without prosecution.
Robin Stransham-Ford, 65, has only two weeks left to live and is asking the court to spare him what he says is an undignified death.
According to current law, doctors who help patients die could face jail time of up to 14 years.
Dignity SA’s Sean Davidson says the case could spark a revision of South African law.
Stransham-Ford would be given the medication to die peacefully rather than the terribly undignified death he is currently experiencing.
