Editor,

My flatmate is a medical student who receives your journal, which I occasionally read. However, I was disturbed by your editorial about the Dianne Pretty case. I am personally appalled that this woman is being denied the right to end her own life. We are told we are free to do whatever we like, as long as we do not harm anyone else. But it would seem we are far from that point.

This woman has been begging for an end to her and her family's misery, but she has to carry on suffering because other people have their own beliefs about life and consider themselves entitled to impose them on everyone else. Is this not what the Taliban did? One may prefer the wheelchair over death, or may want to grow a beard. But what entitles them to impose their taste on others? I hope that the European Court of Human Rights will restore justice.

Jack Terry

Editorial Comment

The real issue here is one of good lawmaking. Diane Pretty's 'right' to suicide is not in question; it is her desire to have someone else kill her. Passing a law to allow this would have implications for all terminally ill people across the UK. This can be seen in Holland, where the law allows voluntary euthanasia under strict guidelines. Yet these guidelines are often ignored and studies have shown that euthanasia is occasionally carried out without even consulting the patient, who had been mentally competent. Nucleus covered this in April 2000 (www.cmf.org.uk/pubs/ nucleus/nucapr00/euth.htm).

Whilst we all sympathise with Mrs Pretty, her case does not, as Mr Terry suggests, concern her alone. Adjusting the law to accommodate her wishes could lead to a state where vulnerable patients feel under pressure to request euthanasia. This imposition of others' views about life, is surely just what Mr Terry deplores.

Editor,

I am responsible for the education and literature section of CMF's equivalent (PMDK) in Indonesia. I would like to thank you for the copies of Nucleus that you sent to us this year. Thank you for all the great things you have shared with us! The journal has some wonderful articles! PMDK also has a magazine for Christian medical students and doctors, called Samaritan. I would love to send anyone who is interested a copy , however I must warn you that it is written in Indonesian!

We held a meeting a few days ago to plan PMDK events for the forthcoming year. Please pray for us as there are many colleagues, medical students and doctors, who have not yet come into Christ's hands. We have already seen amazing examples of how God works, here in Jakarta, and we thank you for your prayers! We always pray for you, that through your services many souls will be saved and many lives changed.

Firman Santoso MD