Assisted Suicide Debate - Make your own opinion

The majority of the British public support medically assisted suicide. However, it remains illegal under British criminal law despite several attempts to legalize it. The uncertainty of medical opinion has impacted on this; studies on the subject have revealed polarized views of doctors affected by religious beliefs, ethnicity and medical specialty as well as concerns about safeguarding the vulnerable. This article discusses how doctors in the UK can utilize evidence collected worldwide to aid in decision-making on this controversial issue, how to improve upon unclear aspects of the world's evidence base and whether there is actually a need to change the law.

This article considers the implications that recent euthanasia developments in Belgium might have for the Australian debate on assisted dying. Through media database and internet searches, four significant developments in Belgium were identified: three cases involving individuals who requested access to euthanasia, and recent changes to the Belgian Act on Euthanasia 2002, allowing children access to euthanasia. The article outlines these developments and then examines how they have been discussed in Australia by the different sides of the euthanasia debate. It concludes that these developments are important considerations that legislators and policy-makers in Australia should engage with, but argues that that engagement must be rational and also informed by the significant evidence base that is now available on how the Belgian (and other) assisted dying regimes operate in practice.

Background: The question whether euthanasia should be legalised has led to substantial public debate in France. The objective of this study in a sample of French physicians was to establish the potential determinants of a favourable opinion about euthanasia in general and when faced with a specific situation as embodied in the Humbert affair. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional survey investigating two different samples of medical doctors: (1) those specialised in palliative care and affiliated to the French Society for Patient Accompaniment and Palliative Care; (2) medical interns (medical doctors in training course) in a French medical university (Marseille). A questionnaire was sent (email) to each voluntary participant including sociodemographics, professional status, mention of believing in God, and opinion about euthanasia (the question was designed to assess the general opinion about euthanasia and the opinion about a specific case, the Vincent Humbert ’ case (a man who was rendered quadriplegic, blind, and mute after an accident and has requested euthanasia). Results: A total of 413 physicians participated in the research (participation rate: 48.5 %). Less than half of the population were favourable to euthanasia in general and almost two-thirds of the population were favourable to Vincent Humbert ’ s request for euthanasia. Based on the multivariate analysis, individuals believing in God and being a medical intern were significant independent factors linked to having a favourable opinion about euthanasia in general and about the Vincent Humbert ’ s request. Discussion: There is still no study in France on the development of opinion about euthanasia and its impact. The issue goes beyond the strictly professional sphere and involves broader socio-political stakes. These stakes do not necessarily take into account medical practices and experiences or the desires of end-of-life patients. The professional upheaval that the future French legal framework will doubtlessly trigger will require further research. Conclusion: The professional upheaval that the future French legal framework will doubtlessly trigger will require further research

This opinion paper is aimed to suggest an improved set of guidelines for physician-assisted suicide. Thus it is very practical, based on 25 years of research in eight countries and it does not expand on the underpinning theoretical basis for the guidelines. I have been an advocate of physician-assisted suicide and explained the reasoning elsewhere, primarily in The Right to Die with Dignity and Euthanasia in the Netherlands. I support the idea that patients should be able to decide the time of their death with the help and support of the medical profession. People have human dignity. At the end of their lives, the medical profession should respect their wishes and help them to the best of their abilities. By ‘dignity’ it is meant worthiness, merit. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “the state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect”. Kant explained that human beings are end in themselves and that for something to be an end in itself, “it doesn’t have mere relative value (a price) but has intrinsic value (i.e. dignity)”. He further elucidated that autonomy is the basis for the dignity of human nature and of every rational nature. Kant calls dignity an unconditional and incomparable worth that admits of no equivalent. All rational creatures have it, by virtue of their reason, and dignity constrains the ways in which we can legitimately interact. In a similar fashion, Dworkin asserted that individuals have a right to dignity because they are human. I argue that dignity is both objective and subjective concept. It is socially constructed and made up of values and feelings that one feels about oneself, about one’s self-worth and respect. It is further argued that legislation of physician-assisted suicide is a matter of moral necessity and political expediency.

Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) presents one of the greatest contemporary challenges to the medical profession's ethical responsibilities. Professor Baroness Llandaff commented UK law on physician assisted suicide possesses “stern face and a kind heart” , regrettably however, it still retains an “irrational mind and an unpredictable will.” This essay is not a debate on whether PAS is ‘right or wrong,’ but whether the consequences of a reform in the law, would be better or worse than the status quo. It will focus on four main issues. The ambiguity and inadequacy of current UK law with regards to PAS. Whether the law as it stands results in unnecessary suffering. Examination and rebuttal of the main arguments against a reform in the law. Finally if a reform is needed, what form would it take?

My essay opens with some personal words about my acquaintance with Ivan Šegota. I proceed by explaining the methodology of my research on euthanasia in the Netherlands. I then detail the major findings and end with guidelines for physician-assisted suicide (PAS). My research in the Netherlands made me change my mind: from supporter of euthanasia I became an ardent opposer of this practice. I think, however, that physicians should not turn a deaf ear to patients at the end of life, who suffer miserably and request to die. Therefore, PAS is suggested. To prevent potential abuse, we need to devise very careful guidelines which, I believe, are suitable for democracies as we enter the 21 st Century, an era of highly developed technology which brings a lot of good but, in the field of medicine, might prolong patient's life unnecessarily. At the center of guidelines is the patient, and the underlying values of treatment are respect for the patient and her autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and compassion.

The slippery slope argument has been the mainstay of many of those opposed to the legalisation of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. In this paper I re-examine the slippery slope in the light of two recent studies that examined the prevalence of medical decisions concerning the end of life in the Netherlands and in Australia. I argue that these two studies have robbed the slippery slope of the source of its power - its intuitive obviousness. Finally I propose that, contrary to the warnings of the slippery slope, the available evidence suggests that the legalisation of physician-assisted suicide might actually decrease the prevalence of non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia.

Global journal of health science, 2012

Assisting or hastening death is a dilemma with many ethical as well as practical issues facing healthcare practitioners in many countries worldwide now. Various arguments for and against assisted dying have been made over time but the call from the public for legalisation of euthanasia or assisted suicide has never been stronger. While many studies have documented the reluctance of medical and other health professionals to be involved in the practice of assisted dying or euthanasia, there is still much open debate in the public domain. Those who have the most experience of palliative care are strongest in their opposition to assisted death or euthanasia. This paper explores salient practical and ethical considerations for healthcare practitioners associated with assisted death, with a focus on examining the concepts of autonomy for patients and healthcare practitioners. The role of the healthcare practitioner has clearly and undoubtedly changed over time with advances in healthcare ...

As of February 2016, physician-assisted dying will become legal in Canada. This paper utilizes a review of news articles and scholarly, legal, and grey literature to summarize international and domestic assisted dying legislation. Literature reviews were conducted using database searches of Scopus, PubMed, LexisNexis, and Google Scholar. A grey literature review and news article search was conducted using the Google search engine.

The aim of this paper is to show the inherent contradiction in the Belgian euthanasia practice. While stressing patient's autonomy, medical professionals exhibit paternalism in deciding the patient's fate. First, background information is provided. Then the 2014 Belgian Society of Intensive Care Medicine Council Statement Paper will be considered. Concerns are voiced about euthanizing people who fail to find meaning in their lives, including those who underwent unsuccessful sex-change operation and blind people, euthanizing patients who did not give their consent, and euthanizing people with dementia. Finally, some suggestions designed to improve the situation are offered.