Yes for Compassion says the latest suicide statistics are cause for concern and highlight why the End of Life Choice Act should become law.

In the year to 30 June 2020, 654 people died by suicide, encouragingly down from 685 the year before. However, as many as 52 of these deaths are estimated to be people with terminal illness.

Yes for Compassion spokesperson and PhD researcher Jessica Young says “that’s effectively one terminally ill person every week taking their own life."

“These people often die alone and they often suffer violent deaths that cause great distress for their loved ones.

“While assisted dying is not the same as suicide, if the End of Life Choice Act was law it would offer terminally ill people choice at the end of their lives.

“People who are terminally ill do not want to die but they’re coming to the end of their lives and they simply want a say on how and when they die.

"Given the high rate of suicide in New Zealand, there is a harm prevention and minimisation benefit to passing the End of Life Choice Act."

It's conservatively estimated that 5-8 per cent of all suicides in New Zealand between 1950 and 2000 were by people with terminal or irremediable illness (Weaver, 2014).

A more recent study found 10 per cent of suicides among older New Zealanders were by those with terminal cancer (Cheung, Douwes, & Sundram, 2017). This cohort were less likely to have a depression diagnosis or contact with a mental health service than non-cancer suicides. The authors concluded their motives were rational rather than underdiagnosed depression.

Jessica Young says some suicides will be prevented under the End of Life Choice Act because of the process terminally ill adults must go through to access the legislation and by opening up conversations about dying.

"The End of Life Choice application process includes referral to services that a person may benefit from but may not have had referrals to before,” she says.

"If having found out what help is available to them, possibly trying those services and still deciding to hasten their death, then assisted dying, surrounded by loved ones, is a much more humane and safer way to die.

“This would also decrease the trauma for the surviving family of terminally ill people who suicide. The ripple effects of suicide on families and communities would also be lessened.

"In further contrast to suicide, which occurs in isolation and often without discussion, assisted dying allows people to discuss their wishes with others, to say goodbye and to have a peaceful, non-violent death,” she says.

Any concerns about suicide contagion from the End of Life Choice Act have been dispelled by the Ministry of Justice, Justice Collins in Seales v Attorney General and independent, international governmental reports.

https://coronialservices.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/Chief-Coroner-Suicide-Stats-2020-Media-Release.pdf

Notes:

Heather Gregory’s husband Richard was dying of cancer and decided to take his life rather than suffer against his wishes at the end. Heather firmly believes that had the End of Life Choice Act been in place, Richard’s death would have been so much better.

Media can view Heather’s story here.

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