Watch: ‘I Was in Favour of Euthanasia… But Not Anymore’ – Peppi Azzopardi
Peppi Azzopardi said that while he used to be in favour of the legalisation of euthanasia, he now opposes it.
“When I heard about the proposal, I was initially in favour of it,” Azzopardi said.
“I used to think that while I wouldn’t choose euthanasia for myself, if someone wanted to end their life to escape unbearable pain, who was I to stand in their way?”
He said he changed his mind when doctors told him that a great chunk of palliative care medication isn’t actually available in Malta.
“Doctors who work in this field told me that pain can be practically completely eliminated, but that these treatments aren’t available here,” he said.
He quoted a report by theology professor Prof Emanuel Agius which found that only around 10% of approved palliative care medication is available in Malta.
“I cannot believe that we can let people die in agony and then propose that they kill themselves as a solution to end the pain,” Azzopardi said. “The pain should be removed through treatment that the government should bring to Malta so to ensure that not a single person has to die in pain.”
“They speak of choice, but what kind of choice is it really? If I’m in pain, what real options do I have, and what state of mind am I in to decide that I want to die?”
Azzopardi also warned that this is particularly unfair on people who are financially worse off, as people who can afford it are able to seek the necessary palliative treatment privately or overseas.
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