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Articles on Euthanasia

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The province of Nova Scotia is leading the way in defining the terms of Canada’s ambiguous law on medically assisted dying. Here Liana Brittain is seen in Halifax in front of a projection of her late husband Paul B. Couvrette, who received a medically assisted death in P.E.I. on Sept. 15, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan)

Can we die? The seriously ill need clarity

In Nova Scotia, it’s clearer now who qualifies for medical assistance in dying. Will the other provinces and territories follow suit?
Jewish law recognises patient choice as decisive in some situations where assisted dying may be an option. shutterstock

What Jewish law says about suicide and assisted dying

Under Jewish law the preservation of human life is a cardinal commandment: both suicide and self-endangerment are forbidden.
Victoria’s Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury and Finance Mr Daniel Mulino voted against the state’s assisted dying bill. JOE CASTRO/AAP Imagine

Four reasons Victorian MPs say ‘no’ to assisted dying, and why they’re misleading

The main arguments used by those who voted against assisted dying – including that the bill has insufficient safeguards – in Victoria’s upper house, deserve further scrutiny.
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.
Detail from a statue of the Virgin Mary cradling the body of Jesus (15th-century Slovenia). For many centuries, the pain that could accompany dying was seen as punishment for sin and ultimately redemptive.

When a ‘good death’ was often painful: euthanasia through the ages

For centuries, in Western societies, ‘euthanasia’ referred to a pious death, blessed by God. The pain that could accompany dying was seen as ultimately redemptive.
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.
Assisted dying legislation is likely to be introduced in Victorian Parliament within a month, and be based on a report launched today by Brian Owler and Jill Hennessy. JOE CASTRO/AAP

Victoria may soon have assisted dying laws for terminally ill patients

Public opinion, shifting views in the health profession and international trends allowing assisted dying mean it will be lawful in Australia at some point. But will it be lawful in Victoria soon?
Existential suffering refers to an individual experiencing a lack of meaning or sense of purposelessness in life. Zack Minor/Unsplash

Viewpoints: should euthanasia be available for people with existential suffering?

Imagine this situation: a person has no medical illness but wishes to end his or her life purely because he or she no longer wishes to live. Should they be eligible for euthanasia or assisted suicide?

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