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Yesterday in a prominent opinion piece in The Age newspaper,1 palliative care specialists argued that palliative care is imperfect and in need of an injection of funds. I agree on both counts.

Nurse Peter Hudson, and doctors Mark Boughey and Jennifer Philip of the Centre for Palliative Care argued that instead of assisted dying as recommended by the recent Victorian Parliament committee report, increased funding of palliative care is ‘the answer.’

Key arguments

Here are the highlights of their opinion piece:
  1. They refer to assisted dying, a neutral expression now in common use amongst both lay commentators and scholars, as a euphemism. Instead they laboriously refer to assisted suicide (suicide is universally seen as a pejorative term with all its baggage about mental illness and substance abuse), and euthanasia (consistently omitting the qualifier ‘voluntary’).
  2. Dying at home should not be the gold standard (despite the great majority preferring it); instead, dying in hospital can be ‘preferred.’
  3. In a profound lack of self-reflection or consistent logic, they say that assisted dying ought to remain outlawed because its outcomes are uncertain. Even assuming the premise of the statement, this would be an identical argument to ban palliative care, whose outcomes are at least equally if not considerably more uncertain.
  4. They falsely imply that users of assisted dying not infrequently experience “very unfavourable” reactions to the drugs. This is simply untrue and I challenge them to provide the empirical evidence that they state is so very important.
  5. Tellingly, they describe a peaceful assisted death as “sanitised,” signalling their intrinsic disapproval of other’s choices.
  6. They say that focus should remain on increased resourcing of palliative care, failing to mention that the Parliamentary committee’s report indeed recommended increases in palliative care funding and improvement of evidence-based practice. Overseas evidence also reveals improvements in palliative care in jurisdictions with assisted dying legislation. There’s no false dichotomy between palliative care and assisted dying as the authors try to insinuate.
  7. They assume that medical interventionism (what they have to offer) is the correct and normative response, ignoring the fact that some people simply don’t want more interventions.
 

The filibuster

In a journal article recently published by two of the opinion piece authors,2 and repeated in principle in the Centre’s submission to and appearance before the Parliamentary inquiry,3,4 they say that:

“Increased resources and effort must be directed toward training, research, community engagement, and ensuring adequate resourcing for palliative care to benefit many before further consideration is given to allocating resources into legalising EAS to respond to the requests of a few.”

Notice two things about their recommendation—the filibuster.

Maximising what cannot be done

Firstly, they say we must not just ban assisted dying, but that it is dangerous even to talk about it: palliative care must be improved even “before further consideration is given.” The specific purpose of this part of the filibuster is to maximise what cannot be done: to position even mere conversation, let alone actual reform, as ‘unsafe.’

Maximising the delay

Secondly, nowhere in their argument do they provide a single quantitative metric (and which they strongly argue is necessary for the legalisation of assisted dying) by which the palliative care reforms they advocate might be judged: not a single dollar amount nor a single performance benchmark amongst their many recommendations.

How much will reforms cost, how long will they take, and what performance measure improvements would need to be achieved for the expenditure to be judged effective? What performance measures would need to be reached before it was then ‘safe’ to even consider assisted dying? The authors are entirely mute on these critical matters, while making precisely these evidential demands of assisted dying.

So, the opinionists’ argument allows them to indefinitely say that “more improvements are needed in palliative care before we even talk about assisted dying,” because further ‘improvements’ are always possible.

But all that was a ruse anyhow

In any case, the authors say in their submission to the Parliamentary inquiry that there are numerous problems (spurious, I argue) with legalising assisted dying; that they doubt they could be overcome; and then finally “it should not be construed that we would support the legalisation of EAS if efforts were made to address [the problems].”4, page 6 (Curiously, they omit the third, critical statement from their more public opinion piece.)

This truly exposes the classic filibuster… an open-ended call with no metrics, which therefore can be deemed never to have been met. How convenient. But, even if they were met, the authors still wouldn’t support reform. This begs the question:

If the authors are as so firmly evidence-based—as they take pains to emphasise—why would they not support a reform if the evidence endorsed it?

There must be something other than evidence that drives their entrenched opposition to assisted dying: something so important that it renders all their previous arguments null and void. What might that be?

Who are these people, anyway?

It’s informative to answer the question of who these three from the Centre for Palliative Care are. The Centre sounds like a neutral government body. It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong. I have no doubt that these three are skilled and compassionate practitioners and that the Centre delivers good services.

In reality the Center is a section of Melbourne’s St Vincent’s Hospital. That’s an organisation that proudly states “as a Catholic healthcare service we bring God’s love to those in need through the healing ministry of Jesus.”

I believe St V’s to be a high-quality healthcare institution, but too bad if the patient just wants evidence-based medical care and not the ‘healing ministry’ of a religious figure they may not subscribe to.

The reason this is important is this: what the three authors say about assisted dying is entirely consistent with the Vatican’s stance. I have no idea if any of the authors are Catholic, but what would be entirely surprising is if they published anything at odds with the views of the Vatican given their Centre is deeply embedded within the largest Catholic health and aged care service provider in the country.

For clarity and fairness, I once again place on the public record that I am agnostic.

The ‘Catholic card’

Before Messers Paul Russell, Alex Schadenberg and others leap onto their campaigning steeds to megaphone that I’m ‘playing the Catholic card’ (just wait for it!), let me be clear that I specifically am doing precisely that. For sure, The Catholic Church is not the only religious body resolutely opposed to anyone having the choice of assisted dying, but it’s the premier one.

And, Messers Russell et al would be absolutely right to point out that the authors didn’t raise a single religious argument, so let me save them the bother.

Religious opposition dressed up in secular garb

And that’s the point. It’s abundantly clear from multiple sources that religious opponents have actively decided that they will absolutely avoid using religious arguments because they know it will lose them the debate.

Media identity Andrew Denton’s Better Off Dead podcast series makes this avoidance abundantly clear from the Australian perspective. His insights, having attended a global anti-euthanasia conference in Adelaide, are important and revealing. 

From the North American perspective, a study just published by Associate Professor Ari Gandsman of the University of Ottawa in Death Studies5 reports uncanny North American similarities. Assisted dying opponents have actively decided to cease using religious arguments. Instead, their objective is to create an atmosphere of FUD: fear, uncertainty and doubt. It is only this now, they agree amongst themselves, that will keep assisted dying off the statute books. As Gandsman explains (and I paraphrase), religious opponents have moved from ‘it’s a sin’ to ‘but think about all the perceived risks!’

Again, I reiterate that the three opinion piece authors are likely to be fine nurses and doctors (I have never met any of them), but I do say that their incoherent and self-contradictory arguments against assisted dying, remaining opposed even ‘if’ the evidence for it stacks up, is neither their finest work, nor varies one iota from the religious anchor that the Vatican provides to their Centre’s services.

The importance of mutual respect

If a person says to me “I believe assisted dying is wrong,” I respect that view and admire their resolution. For themselves. Including if it is underpinned by religious belief. If you believe that assisted dying, or surrogacy, or other contentious issue is wrong, don’t participate in it. 

But don’t expect that your own view of your own God trumps everyone else’s God—or lack thereof. In Australia for example, the majority of citizens are not Catholic. And most of those who are—three out of four—disagree with the Vatican’s opposition to assisted dying. The Vatican’s view then is not particularly relevant to anyone but its most ardent adherents.

Respect in both directions is warranted but is rather lacking from the more religious end. My argument is not against Catholicism itself. There are very fine Catholics on both sides of the debate, doing their best to live a deliberatively ‘good’ life.

Conclusion

We can do without the incoherent and indefensible nonsense advanced in secular garb by the religiously opposed.

Be clear folks: the FUD campaign is on its last legs. I will be further exposing rubbish arguments posed by those with religious connections but couched in non-religious language.

In the meantime you can see the clumsy, failed attempt at a filibuster by these three opinionists for what it is.

 

References

  1. Hudson, P., Boughey, M. & Philip, J., 2016, Victoria's proposed euthanasia laws are flawed, Melbourne: Fairfax Media, Accessed 21 Jun 2016, http://www.theage.com.au/comment/victorias-proposed-euthanasia-laws-are-flawed-20160620-gpn9p2.html
  2. Hudson, P., Hudson, R., Philip, J., Boughey, M., Kelly, B. & Hertogh, C., 2015, Legalizing physician-assisted suicide and/or euthanasia: Pragmatic implications for palliative care, Palliative and Supportive Care, 13(5), 1399-1409.
  3. Hudson, P., 2015, Inquiry into end of life choices: Submission 905 to the Parliament of Victoria, Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.
  4. Hudson, P., Boughey, M. and Philip, J., 2016, Witness Appearance Transcript: Inquiry into end-of-life choices - Centre for Palliative Care, Parliament of Victoria, Melbourne, 24 Feb.
  5. Gandsman, A., 2016,“A recipe for elder abuse:” From sin to risk in anti-euthanasia activism. Death Studies, In press.
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The American Medical Association has passed a resolution to re-examine its opposed stance to assisted dying.

During the professional meeting, the Louisiana State Medical Society introduced a motion to reaffirm the American Medical Association's policy against assisted dying. The motion was lost.

Instead, a motion callling on further study to examine the possibility of adpoting a neutral position on assisted dying was passed. The American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs will investigate and report back at next year's annual meeting.

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine adopted a position of studied neutrality in 2007, so the American Medical Association has some catching up to do.

It remains to be seen if the Australian Medical Association's investigation into moving to a stance of 'studied neutrality' will succeed, bringing it into the modern era in which eight out of ten Australians believe the option should be available in restricted circumstances.

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The more anti-euthanasia campaigner Mr Wesley Smith publishes, the more I think he’s missed his true vocation as a comedian. His latest comical gig against assisted dying is a gem.

Mr Smith starts with the case of two Californian doctors found guilty of Medicare fraud: billing fake hospice care for patients who weren't terminally ill. He artfully turns the story into a series of anti-assisted-dying gags.

Who’s on first, What’s on second?

Mr Smith directly connects the money-grabbing fraud case with the Obama administration, ribbing us that the President and federal authorities won’t hold doctors accountable for breaking assisted suicide law. Mr Smith, an attorney, is holding his breath to see if his audience figures out this little joke: oh, the confused jurisdiction names… right!

The Death With Dignity laws are State laws. If the law is broken it is State responsibility to pursue and prosecute offenders. The Feds have no jurisdiction. If, however, Medicare has been defrauded then it’s a Federal matter (FBI): and the Feds did indeed investigate and prosecute.

It’s a bit like the Laurel and Hardy confused “Who’s on first, What’s on second” name sketch, isn’t it? But only if you get it. Grin.

I say, I say, I say: what’s worse—being evil or being dead?

Mr Smith then refers to the case of Michael Freeland, an Oregonian dying of lung cancer who considered using the Death With Dignity Act. Citing himself and referring to the physician who prescribed lethal medication, Mr Smith compares Dr Peter Reagan with the Medicare fraudsters, saying that Dr Reagan “regularly takes on patients solely for the purpose of facilitating their suicides.”

Defamation is always good for a cackle. It’s so droll, like saying that Mr Smith “opposes assisted dying solely because of the great value of redemptive suffering whether others agree or not.” Which, of course, your dear writer is not saying (because Mr Smith has already stated on the record that he doesn't think suffering is redemptive). I’m just saying, you know, for laughs.


PeterReaganEvilAndDead.gif

Wesley Smith jokes that Dr Peter Reagan is both evil and dead.


To add even greater mirth, Mr Smith describes Dr Reagan as “now late”. OMG, I've met Dr Reagan and he’s a top fellow. He’s died!? No, he hasn't. Fortunately, like Mark Twain, Dr Reagan happily reports that news of his death has been greatly exaggerated.

Phew, comic relief—what a hoot.

The Clause you have when you’re not having a Clause

Mr Smith then tells the one about how doctors ordinarily have to comply with an accepted medical “standard of care,” but that “death doctors” (love those stereotypes, chuckle!) only have to act in “good faith,” which, Mr Smith razzes us, is quite hard to assess. Oh. Awkward audience silence; a cricket chirps. Um, punchline please?

You have to supply your own punchline for this quip I’m afraid, because Mr Smith rather absent-mindedly forgets to. The Oregon Death With Dignity Act 1997 says explicitly in Clause 126.885 §4.01(7), “No provision [of this Act] shall be construed to allow a lower standard of care…”

Ah, more comic relief: the old 'pull-the-wool-over-your-eyes' caper, chortle.

The flip-flop routine 

But the most comical gag is the one I reckon Mr Smith doesn’t even realise he’s told: the joke that we’re all going to die from lethal prescriptions, artfully developed by featuring someone he carefully points out didn’t take the lethal prescription. We just love a good flip-flop. LOL.

Oh, that and teasing us that the Medicare fraud case in which the purpose was to get more money is a great story against assisted dying whose purpose, he banters, is to get less (save) money. Double flip-flop: Ta-ching!

Loud guffaws and applause all round.


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Wesley Smith never seems to tire of spreading opinion. In another piece of published nonsense, he's proposed that USA's rise in national suicide rate is in significant part a consequence of assisted dying law in those few states that permit it (up until the most recent general suicide data that's Oregon, Washington state, Vermont and Montana). His claim flies in the face of actual evidence.

Wesley Smith is a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute. Remember that? It's the organisation that a USA Federal court ruled pursues "demonstrably religious, cultural, and legal missions," and which comprehensively lost a test case in which it tried to have 'intelligent design' (that's creationism with lipstick) taught as a 'scientific' alternative to evolution.

In a piece recently published by conservative blog NationalReview and reprinted in pro-life LifeSiteNews, Mr Smith has asserted that assisted suicide has a significant part to play in the rising USA national suicide rate. "Color me decidedly not surprised. We are becoming a pro-suicide culture," he asserts.

"I am convinced that the correlation [between assisted suicide advocacy and the general suicide rate] could also be at least a partial causation."

On the matter of rhetoric, notice how Mr Smith cleverly mixes certainty ('convinced') with uncertainty ('could') in order to hedge his literal argumentative bets while giving the impression of valid authority. Ultimately, however, being certain about uncertainty can only be... uncertain.

Mr Smith argues from a USA Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that the national suicide rate increased more after 2006, "the very time when the assisted suicide movement has become the most vigorous and made its most dramatic advances [emphasis is Smith's]." He offers not one shred of quantitative empirical evidence to support his contention that the assisted dying movement's 'vigor' changed suddenly and substantially from 2006.

So, what does analysis of relevant and readily-available data show? I've reproduced the USA national general suicide rates obtained from the USA government's CDC online database, plus unemployment rates obtained from the USA government Bureau of Labor Statistics online database in Figure 1. (The suicide data does not include deaths under state Death With Dignity Acts because under these Acts such deaths are not suicides.)
 

USA national suicide and unemployment rates

Figure 1: USA national suicide and unemployment rates

 

The national annual suicide rates are shown in red, and the unemployment rates are shown in blue with linear regression lines for before and after 2006. It's easy to see that prior to 2006 the unemployment rate peaked at around 6%, while after 2006—and clearly in response to the global financial crisis (GFC)—the rate peaks much higher at nearly 10%.

Suicide is indeed a complex phenomenon, with a wide range of both risk factors (e.g. unemployment, mental illness, substance abuse) and protective factors (e.g. mental illness mitigation programs, unemployment benefits), and it would be glib to assert only one or a few factors. Nevertheless, Figure 1 demonstrates a clear correlation between trends in unemployment and the overall suicide rate.

Correlation is of course not causation: though I will in a future report show how extensively common this correlation is around the world and over time. Nevertheless, the data, had Mr Smith bothered looking for it, offers a vastly more rational and compelling explanation of the rise in suicide rate than does some hokey theory about how just 325 rational adults in two states (Oregon and Washington state Death With Dignity Act deaths in 2014) who were already dying and quietly and privately chose to go a little early in response to intolerable suffering, caused the suicide rate amongst 319 million inhabitants (2014) across a nation of fifty states, to rise by a "huge and alarming" amount.

Mr Smith backhandedly acknowledges that there are multiple causes of suicide. "There is no question that assisted suicide advocacy is not the only factor causing this alarming increase in suicides," he says, presumptively positioning his hypothetical reason as definitely one of them.

Mr Smith does refer to a recent journal article by David Jones and David Paton that purports to show a weak link between assisted dying and the total suicide rate (with the weak link appearing only if assisted deaths are counted as suicides). I have analysed that paper in detail and shall deal with it in due course. How it passed peer review (if it was indeed peer reviewed) remains a mystery. The study is of an unacceptably poor standard on a range of facets as I will demonstrate.

In conclusion, did the CDC report that Mr Smith cites suggest that 'assisted suicide contagion' was a possible cause of the increase? Nope.

It's really time that Mr Smith and colleagues gave the misinformation campaign a rest.


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Around the world, doctors help patients with assisted dying, regardless of whether it is legal in their jurisdiction or not.

For example, in Australia, where assisted dying is illegal, research reveals that assisted dying is widely practiced. Many Australian nurses have collaborated with doctors to provide assisted dying, and have occasionally even done so without consulting a doctor (Kuhse & Singer 1993). Nurses in New Zealand also provide assisted dying, sometimes without consulting a doctor (Malpas, Mitchell & Koschwanez 2015; Mitchell & Owens 2004).

"Euthanasia is common. It's practiced out of sight, under wraps, no regulation, no rules, no supervision." Prof. Peter Baum (Baum 2001)

Professor Baum's statement is borne out by scientific research. A national survey of Australian doctors in 1996 found that 1.9% of deaths were the result of voluntary euthanasia (VE) or physician-assisted dying (PAD) (Kuhse et al. 1997). By comparison, the rate in the Netherlands in 1995 (the closest year of empirical research data) was 2.6% (Onwuteaka-Philipsen et al 2012). The rate of medically assisted deaths in Australia, where the practice is illegal, was three quarters the rate of the Netherlands, where the practice is legal.

Dutch and Australian assisted dying rates comparedSimilarly, Douglas and colleagues (2001) surveyed Australian surgeons, finding that more than a third had provided drugs with the intention to hasten patient death, and with more than half of cases lacking an express request from the patient.

Forms of medically assisted dying have been found to occur not only in Australia (and in the Netherlands where it has been lawful for decades), but in Belgium prior to its law reform (Chambaere et al. 2015); Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Italy (van der Heide et al. 2003); the UK (Seale 2009a; Seale 2009b); the USA (Back et al. 1996; Bonn 2000; Emanuel, Fairclough & Clarridge 1996; Lachman 2010; Schwarz 2003; Schwarz 2004); France (Riou et al. 2015); Norway (Forde & Aasland 2014; Forde, Aasland & Falkum 1997); and even in conservative Greece (Voultsos, Njau & Vlachou 2010); Northern Ireland (McGlade 2000) and Pakistan (Imran et al. 2014).

Indeed, "euthanasia is performed worldwide, regardless of the existence of laws governing it" (Gastmans et al. 2006), "in all countries studied" (Muller, Kimsma & Van Der Wal 1998), "albeit in a secretive manner" (Rosenfeld 2000), "in the privacy of their [doctor-patient] relationship" (Cassell 1995), with repeated involvement of some physicians (Smith 2007), and frequent failure to adhere to high standards when illegal (Emanuel et al 1998).

Even Dr Brendan Nelson, while President of the Australian Medical Association, acknowledged that he had helped hasten the death of a patient. He stated that in the "2 percent of cases" where there was no hope of recovery, that "patients, their families and their doctors make those decisions [for euthanasia]" though clandestinely, because "technically it would be illegal" (Nelson 1995).

 

nelsoneuthanasiasecretsmall.jpg

AMA's President, Brendan Nelson, in 1995.

 
The evidence is irrefutable: there is underground assisted dying worldwide
and it demonstrates that there is a profound need for assisted dying law reform to allow dying patients the right to seek a peaceful hastened death, and to protect doctors and nurses who provide that assistance. Law reform would also force assisted dying from the dark shadows, creating transparency and accountability around the process, which would then be open to discussion and improvement if required.

Intolerable and unrelievable patient suffering drives underground assisted dying across the world in jurisdictions where it is illegal, with no standards of practice or transparent oversight.

 

References

Back, AL, Wallace, JI, Starks, HE & Pearlman, RA 1996, 'Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia in Washington State: Patient requests and physician responses', JAMA, vol. 275, no. 12, pp. 919-925.

Baum, P 2001, ABC News, TV broadcast 23 Jan, ABC, Sydney.

Bonn, D 2000, 'Support for euthanasia falls as care of dying patients improves', The Lancet Oncology, vol. 1, no. 3, p. 133.

Cassell, EJ 1995, 'Treating the patient's subjective state', Pain Forum, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 186-188.

Chambaere, K, Vander Stichele, R, Mortier, F, Cohen, J & Deliens, L 2015, 'Recent trends in euthanasia and other end-of-life practices in Belgium', N Engl J Med, vol. 372, no. 12, pp. 1179-1181.

Douglas, C, Kerridge, IH, Rainbird, KJ, McPhee, JR, Hancock, L & Spigelman, AD 2001, 'The intention to hasten death: a survey of attitudes and practices of surgeons in Australia', Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 175, no. 10, pp. 511-515.

Emanuel, EJ, Daniels, ER, Fairclough, DL & Clarridge, BR 1998, 'The practice of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States: adherence to proposed safeguards and effects on physicians', JAMA, vol. 280, no. 6, pp. 507-513.

Emanuel, EJ, Fairclough, DL & Clarridge, BR 1996, 'Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: Attitudes and experiences of oncology patients, oncologists, and the public', Lancet, vol. 347, no. 9018, pp. 1805-1810.

Forde, R & Aasland, OG 2014, 'Are end-of-life practices in Norway in line with ethics and law?', Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, Aug 14.

Forde, R, Aasland, OG & Falkum, E 1997, 'The ethics of euthanasia -- attitude and practice maong Norwegian physicians', Social Science & Medicine, vol. 45, no. 6, pp. 887-982.

Gastmans, C, Lemiengre, J, van der Wal, G, Schotsmans, P & Dierckx de Casterle, B 2006, 'Prevalence and content of written ethics policies on euthanasia in Catholic healthcare institutions in Belgium (Flanders)', Health Policy, vol. 76, no. 2, pp. 169-78.

Imran, N, Haider, II, Jawaid, M & Mazhar, N 2014, 'Health ethics education: Knowledge, attitudes and practice of healthcare ethics among interns and residents in Pakistan', Journal of Postgraduate Medical Institute, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 383-389.

Kuhse, H & Singer, P 1993, 'Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey', International Journal of Nursing Studies, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 311-322.

Kuhse, H, Singer, P, Baume, P, Clark, M & Rickard, M 1997, 'End-of-life decisions in Australian medical practice', Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 166, no. 4, pp. 191-196.

Lachman, V 2010, 'Physician-assisted suicide: compassionate liberation or murder?', Medsurg nursing : official journal of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 121-125.

Malpas, P, Mitchell, K & Koschwanez, H 2015, 'End-of-life medical decision making in general practice in New Zealand—13 years on', New Zealand Medical Journal, vol. 128, no. 1418, pp. 27-39.

McGlade, KJ, Slaney, L, Bunting, BP & Gallagher, AG 2000, 'Voluntary euthanasia in Northern Ireland: General practitioners' beliefs, experiences, and actions', British Journal of General Practice, vol. 50, no. 459, pp. 794-797.

Mitchell, K & Owens, G 2004, 'End of life decision-making by New Zealand general practitioners: A national survey', New Zealand Medical Journal, vol. 117, no. 1196, pp. 1-11.

Muller, MT, Kimsma, GK & Van Der Wal, G 1998, 'Euthanasia and assisted suicide: Facts, figures and fancies with special regard to old age', Drugs and Aging, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 185-191.

Nelson, B 1995, 'Euthanasia a family affair says top doc', The Sunday Territorian, Darwin, 21 May.

Onwuteaka-Philipsen, BD, Brinkman-Stoppelenburg, A, Penning, C, de Jong-Krul, GJF, van Delden, JJM & van der Heide, A 2012, 'Trends in end-of-life practices before and after the enactment of the euthanasia law in the Netherlands from 1990 to 2010: a repeated cross-sectional survey', The Lancet, vol. 380, no. 9845, pp. 908-915.

Riou, F, Aubry, R, Pontone, S & Pennec, S 2015, 'When physicians report having used medical drugs to deliberately end a patient's life: Findings of the "end-of-life in France" survey', Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 208-215.

Rosenfeld, B 2000, 'Assisted suicide, depression, and the right to die', Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 467-488.

Schwarz, JK 2003, 'Understanding and responding to patients' requests for assistance in dying', Journal of Nursing Scholarship, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 377-384.

Schwarz, JK 2004, 'Responding to persistent requests for assistance in dying: a phenomenological inquiry', International Journal of Palliative Nursing, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 225-235.

Seale, C 2009a, 'End-of-life decisions in the UK involving medical practitioners', Palliat Med, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 198-204.

Seale, C 2009b, 'Hastening death in end-of-life care: a survey of doctors', Social Science & Medicine, vol. 69, no. 11, pp. 1659-1666.

Smith, SW 2007, 'Some realism about end of life: The current prohibition and the euthanasia underground', American Journal of Law and Medicine, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 55-95.

van der Heide, A, Deliens, L, Faisst, K, Nilstun, T, Norup, M, Paci, E, van der Wal, G & van der Maas, PJ 2003, 'End-of-life decision-making in six European countries: descriptive study', The Lancet, vol. 362, no. 9381, pp. 345-350.

Voultsos, P, Njau, SN & Vlachou, M 2010, 'The issue of euthanasia in Greece from a legal viewpoint', J Forensic Leg Med, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 131-6.

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On Friday September 11th 2015, the California legislature passed an assisted dying bill, the End Of Life Option Act, modelled on the Oregon Death With Dignity Act which has been in effect since 1997. It had been a long and tortuous wait to see if Governor Jerry Brown would sign the Bill into law.

It is reported that Governor Brown struggled to decide whether to sign the Bill which was actively opposed by the Catholic Church. Governor Brown is a former Jesuit seminary student. He sought views from his doctors, from a Catholic Bishop, from disability advocates, retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and others, to reach a decision. While he had given no indication of his views or intention to sign, historically he has supported abortion rights, contrary to the teachings of the Vatican.

On Monday October 5th, he signed the Bill. It will come into effect 90 days after the California legislature adjourns its special session on healthcare. But that may not be for some months yet, even as long as late next year.

Governor Brown said "I have considered the theological and religious perspectives that any deliberate shortening of one's life is sinful."

"I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excrutiating pain. I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the otpions afforded by this bill. And I wouldn't deny that right to others," he wrote in his affirmation of the Bill.

California joins Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont to afford their citizens the respect to make their own decicions about the possibility of a hastened death at the end of life. Around one in six Americans now has legal access to restricted assisted dying.

Dissatisfied that the legislature and the Governor have spoken on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Californians who support the measure, Catholic-backed Californians Against Assisted Suicide is considering a range of countermeasures, including a legal challenge and a referendum.


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In this thirteen minute video, Oregonians share their experiences of the State's Death With Dignity Act, in effect since 1997. How the Act has worked successfully is described from the medical, palliative care, patient advocate, hospice, legislator and other perspectives, including the daughter of an individual who used the Act.

Part 1 covers attitudes and apprenehsions prior to the Act coming into effect.

Part 2 (2'05") reveals how patient-family-doctor conversations have improved immensely since the Act came into effect.

Part 3 (4'25") discusses the modest numbers of patients using the Act, and that many more Oregonians achieve peace of mind knowing they have a choice even if they don't use it.

Part 4 (7'30") describes how people are free to participate or not, that it is not the 'vulnerable and disenfranchised' who use the Act, and that only minor changes have been made to the Act in order to clarify certain matters, such as residency status.

Part 5 (10"50') concludes with opponents acknowledging there's no evidence for their claim that the Act has caused a 'slippery slope' effect, and State leaders clarifying that the Act has worked as intended, with positive outcomes for the people of Oregon.

Visit the YouTube page.

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