The Massachusetts Medical Society recently reversed its long-held opposition to physician-assisted suicide. A psychiatrist notes many physicians are painfully conflicted about participating.
The Victorian assisted dying laws are based on those in Oregon, which are quite conservative. Laws in the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada are more relaxed.
Doctors often overestimate the time a patient has left to live. In the case of Victoria’s assisted dying bill, an optimistic prediction could deny the patient the peaceful death they deserve.
Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology; Andrew McGee, Queensland University of Technology, and Ben White, Queensland University of Technology
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.
Whether politicians refer to ‘assisted dying’, ‘assisted suicide’ or ‘euthanasia’ tells us a lot about how they feel about the issue, and the emotional response they aim to convey.
One would think governments would do all they could to ensure palliative care is available to all who need it. This is not the case in Australia today.
The assisted dying bill in Victoria – complex and significant – is engendering less heated debate than marriage equality although both tap into some of our most fundamental fears and motivations.
Ben White, Queensland University of Technology and Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology
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?
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?
During a discussion on Q&A, author Nikki Gemmell said 80% of Australians and up to 70% of Catholics and Anglicans support euthanasia laws. Is that right?
People are right to be skeptical when it comes to many slippery slope arguments used by those against euthanasia. But some of them are valid and shouldn’t be dismissed as ‘bullshit’.