Former British Psychiatrist admits to assisting 7 suicides.

By Alex Schadenberg
International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Alex Schadenberg

The British Daily Mail  has reported that Colin Brewer, a former psychiatrist who lost his right to practise medicine in 2006, has admitted to assisting 7 suicide deaths at the Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland in the past two years. Brewer also admitted that only one of the people was terminally ill.

The Daily Mail reported that Brewer made these revelations in his book. The article stated:

Among the seven people were Marjorie, a former businesswoman in her nineties, who lived in severe pain that could not be diagnosed or treated. 

A man in his sixties called Eddie, a retired professional, was going blind and wanted to die before he lost his sight.

Then there was Henry, in his eighties and with early Alzheimer’s, and Charlotte, a WI chairman with Alzheimer’s, who wanted to die before she had to leave her home.

The article then focused on Jacques, a retired academic:

... Jacques, a retired academic in his seventies who suffered arthritis, heart disease and high blood pressure, Dr Brewer said: ‘It sounds no worse than in most people of his age. But he dreaded the possibility of a sudden deterioration … that would deprive him of the mental capacity to decide on the manner of his death.’

Nick, a man with ALS, was the only person who he defined as terminally ill.

The General Medical Council withdrew Brewer's right to practice medicine in 2006 for: 

... inappropriate drug prescribing, including heroin substitutes to his addiction patients.

The Daily Mail article commented on Brewer's chances of being prosecuted by stating:

Alison Saunders, director of public prosecutions, recently said she was less likely to prosecute doctors assisting in the death of patients not under their direct care. Critics say Mr Brewer has exploited this.

A spokesperson for the Care Not Killing Alliance was quoted as saying:

the Royal College of Psychiatrists argues suicidal people need support and ‘not the keys to the drugs cabinet’.

Brewer is being irresponsible by steering people to suicide who are in need of proper care. He lost his right to practise medicine in the UK for prescribing narcotics in an irresponsible and inappropriate manner. This is the type of doctor who gets involved with the suicide lobby.