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Articles on Voluntary euthanasia

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Medical assistance in dying has been legal in Canada since July 2016, but there are no ‘specialists’ responsible for doctor-assisted suicide and many doctors are overwhelmed with requests. (Shutterstock)

Who will be the doctors of death in a time of assisted suicide?

More than 2,000 Canadians have chosen medical assistance in dying (MAID) since legalization in 2016. But palliative care doctors aren’t embracing assisted suicide as part of their job.
Victorian MPs are about to debate an assisted dying bill. How can they sift through competing claims? Shutterstock

As Victorian MPs debate assisted dying, it is vital they examine the evidence, not just the rhetoric

There is now a reputable body of research evidence from places that have introduced assisted dying, and MPs must examine that evidence before deciding how they will vote.
Euthanasia proponents often express incredulity that in a supposedly humane society, the ‘right to die with dignity’ remains unsupported by law. TRACEY NEARMY/AAP Image

Euthanasia: let’s clarify what the law is before we debate changing it

Proponents of legalising euthanasia claim it’s needed to ensure dying patients don’t experience unbearable suffering. But in fact, this is the one setting in which law change isn’t needed.
Australian parliaments continue to resist legalising euthanasia or its cousin, assisted suicide. tommaso lizzul/Shutterstock

Why Australia hesitates to legalise euthanasia

The Australian public supports legalising euthanasia and bills are introduced into state parliaments every year. Yet governments continue to resist legalising euthanasia or assisted suicide.
Terminal cancer patient Peter Short gives evidence on voluntary euthanasia to the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, which tabled its report on Monday. Tracey Nearmy/AAP

How to draw the line between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ reasons to die

A Senate inquiry into legalising voluntary euthanasia for terminally ill people has recommended a conscience vote on the proposed bill after technical matters, such as what constitutes a “terminal illness…
Dr Philip Nitschke admits advising a healthy 45-year-old man who later killed himself. AAP Image/Julian Smith

Memo to Philip Nitschke: let’s keep euthanasia for the dying

People who operate on the edge risk falling over it and into the abyss. And euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke has been in freefall since it emerged he had email contact with a healthy 45-year-old West…
Opinion polls consistently indicate majority public support for legalisation of voluntary euthanasia. Lee Haywood

Another voluntary euthanasia bill bites the dust

When it comes to legislating voluntary euthanasia in Australia, success is rare and short lived. The Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying bill is the latest such piece of euthanasia legislation to be defeated…

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