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Retired Scottish doctor reveals he helped three pensioners to die Retired Scottish doctor reveals he helped three pensioners to die
(7 months later)
A retired Scottish doctor is facing a fresh police investigation after he admitted helping several pensioners to kill themselves because he agrees with assisted suicide.A retired Scottish doctor is facing a fresh police investigation after he admitted helping several pensioners to kill themselves because he agrees with assisted suicide.
Dr Iain Kerr, 66, a former GP in East Renfrewshire, has confirmed for the first time that he advised one chronically ill pensioner on the correct dosage of antidepressants to take in order to die and then visited him while the overdose took effect.Dr Iain Kerr, 66, a former GP in East Renfrewshire, has confirmed for the first time that he advised one chronically ill pensioner on the correct dosage of antidepressants to take in order to die and then visited him while the overdose took effect.
He told the Herald newspaper he also supplied one married couple in their 80s with prescription sleeping pills so they could end their lives together in 1990. The couple had different ailments and were finding it very difficult to leave their home.He told the Herald newspaper he also supplied one married couple in their 80s with prescription sleeping pills so they could end their lives together in 1990. The couple had different ailments and were finding it very difficult to leave their home.
"On the occasions on which I took these actions I was convinced that they were in the best interests of the patient," he told the Herald."On the occasions on which I took these actions I was convinced that they were in the best interests of the patient," he told the Herald.
Kerr's role in these suicides has already been investigated by Strathclyde police and Scottish prosecutors, and no action taken, but the Crown Office said it had now asked the police to review these cases after his interview and a further interview on a BBC Scotland phone-in programme.Kerr's role in these suicides has already been investigated by Strathclyde police and Scottish prosecutors, and no action taken, but the Crown Office said it had now asked the police to review these cases after his interview and a further interview on a BBC Scotland phone-in programme.
"Dr Kerr was investigated in the past in respect of his involvement in a number of deaths which were referred to in today's press," a spokeswoman said."Dr Kerr was investigated in the past in respect of his involvement in a number of deaths which were referred to in today's press," a spokeswoman said.
"After consideration of the available evidence, no proceedings meantime were instructed. We have instructed the police to make enquiries into whether there is any new evidence available. Any new evidence will be considered by Crown counsel.""After consideration of the available evidence, no proceedings meantime were instructed. We have instructed the police to make enquiries into whether there is any new evidence available. Any new evidence will be considered by Crown counsel."
The law on assisted suicide in Scotland is ambiguous and untested. It is not specifically outlawed, and the Crown Office has been very cautious in these cases, suggesting that is still unlikely that Kerr will be prosecuted over this role in these cases.The law on assisted suicide in Scotland is ambiguous and untested. It is not specifically outlawed, and the Crown Office has been very cautious in these cases, suggesting that is still unlikely that Kerr will be prosecuted over this role in these cases.
The Crown Office spokeswoman confirmed: "There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland, where, depending on the particular facts and circumstances of the case, the law of homicide may apply. Any change in the law related to homicide is properly a matter for the Scottish parliament."The Crown Office spokeswoman confirmed: "There is no crime of assisted suicide in Scotland, where, depending on the particular facts and circumstances of the case, the law of homicide may apply. Any change in the law related to homicide is properly a matter for the Scottish parliament."
However in 2008, the General Medical Council suspended Kerr for six months for misconduct after he supplied another elderly patient with sodium amytal, a sleeping tablet, though she later died using other drugs, and he is no longer a registered GP.However in 2008, the General Medical Council suspended Kerr for six months for misconduct after he supplied another elderly patient with sodium amytal, a sleeping tablet, though she later died using other drugs, and he is no longer a registered GP.
The GMC said his actions in this case, the third he has now confirmed being involved in, were "inappropriate, irresponsible, liable to bring the profession into disrepute and not in your patient's best interest".The GMC said his actions in this case, the third he has now confirmed being involved in, were "inappropriate, irresponsible, liable to bring the profession into disrepute and not in your patient's best interest".
Kerr, who worked at Williamswood medical practice in Clarkston, south of Glasgow, said he was going public about his role to support a second attempt by Margo MacDonald, the independent MSP, to introduce a bill in Holyrood to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland.Kerr, who worked at Williamswood medical practice in Clarkston, south of Glasgow, said he was going public about his role to support a second attempt by Margo MacDonald, the independent MSP, to introduce a bill in Holyrood to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland.
MacDonald, a former Scottish National party MP who won a celebrated byelection victory for the SNP in 1973, has Parkinson's disease and has said she wants to ensure that if she decides to end her life at a later date, no one who helped her would be prosecuted. That bill was comprehensively rejected by MSPs at Holyrood, by 85 votes to 16.MacDonald, a former Scottish National party MP who won a celebrated byelection victory for the SNP in 1973, has Parkinson's disease and has said she wants to ensure that if she decides to end her life at a later date, no one who helped her would be prosecuted. That bill was comprehensively rejected by MSPs at Holyrood, by 85 votes to 16.
"I think there should be a change in the law because my personal experience is that there are situations where people suffer distressing symptoms at the end of life which cannot all be palliated, and while people should be offered all the available palliative treatments, there may be times when their preferred course of action will be suicide or to be assisted to die," he said."I think there should be a change in the law because my personal experience is that there are situations where people suffer distressing symptoms at the end of life which cannot all be palliated, and while people should be offered all the available palliative treatments, there may be times when their preferred course of action will be suicide or to be assisted to die," he said.
A GMC spokesman indicated that there was little scope for it to take action against Kerr if there was fresh evidence against him as he was no longer a registered doctor. Kerr retired in 2011.A GMC spokesman indicated that there was little scope for it to take action against Kerr if there was fresh evidence against him as he was no longer a registered doctor. Kerr retired in 2011.
He told the Herald that in the case of the couple, he had checked their daughter was not violently opposed to their suicide. "They asked for something that they could take in an overdose which would lead to their suicide. I said that I wanted them to tell their daughter what was going on and if she had no strenuous objections then I would give them the prescription, which in fact I did," he said.He told the Herald that in the case of the couple, he had checked their daughter was not violently opposed to their suicide. "They asked for something that they could take in an overdose which would lead to their suicide. I said that I wanted them to tell their daughter what was going on and if she had no strenuous objections then I would give them the prescription, which in fact I did," he said.
The pensioner who was advised on how many anti-depressants to take in order to die approached Kerr because he was suffering from chronic respiratory problems and poor bladder control. Kerr consulted with another colleague, gave the man some tests, and agreed to help him. The man remained alive for two or three days after taking the pills, and Kerr said he visited him to make sure he was not suffering.The pensioner who was advised on how many anti-depressants to take in order to die approached Kerr because he was suffering from chronic respiratory problems and poor bladder control. Kerr consulted with another colleague, gave the man some tests, and agreed to help him. The man remained alive for two or three days after taking the pills, and Kerr said he visited him to make sure he was not suffering.
"He took the overdose and I went in to see him. He was still alive and I phoned his sister to tell her what had happened and to say that I was not planning to send him to hospital, and she was OK with that," he said."He took the overdose and I went in to see him. He was still alive and I phoned his sister to tell her what had happened and to say that I was not planning to send him to hospital, and she was OK with that," he said.
Kerr admitted that found the GMC disciplinary hearing "terribly stressful" and apologised for the distress he caused to his practice and family. "I suppose the thing is that having your integrity doubted is difficult to cope with, having done something which you feel is morally acceptable, but which other people feel is not morally acceptable," he said.Kerr admitted that found the GMC disciplinary hearing "terribly stressful" and apologised for the distress he caused to his practice and family. "I suppose the thing is that having your integrity doubted is difficult to cope with, having done something which you feel is morally acceptable, but which other people feel is not morally acceptable," he said.
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