David Goodall had a good life and he wanted a good death, even though he wasn’t terminally ill. An end-of-life expert explains why he should have this right.
In the UK, euthanasia is ignored by parliamentarians in favour of political survival.
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.
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The Massachusetts Medical Society recently reversed its long-held opposition to physician-assisted suicide. A psychiatrist notes many physicians are painfully conflicted about participating.
Jewish law recognises patient choice as decisive in some situations where assisted dying may be an option.
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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.
Victoria’s parliament passed historic legislation to legalise assisted dying.
Joe Castro/AAP
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.
The bill to legalise assisted dying was introduced to the NSW Legislative Council in September, 2017.
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Lindy Willmott, Queensland University of Technology; Andrew McGee, Queensland University of Technology e 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.
Gendered risks challenge the idea that women will always be acting autonomously.
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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.
While fear suppresses talk about dying, marriage equality involves sex.
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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.
Noel Conway, whose legal challenge to the UK law on assisted dying has been rejected.
Stefan Rousseau/PA Archive
Polls show a clear majority support assisted dying in Britain – but it depends on how the question is asked.
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.
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Ben White, Queensland University of Technology e 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?
Existential suffering refers to an individual experiencing a lack of meaning or sense of purposelessness in life.
Zack Minor/Unsplash
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?