Unlike assisted death, the onus for the action of killing is not on the person themselves who may wish to die, but on the physician or physicians who are meant to be helping them.
Many of the problems that accrue due to assisted death, also occur with legalised euthanasia, only more so. There are signs that legalised euthanasia in Holland and Belgium has led to involuntary euthanasia as Doctors and Nurses arrogate to themselves the right to decide who ought to die, and that pressure is brought to bear on people who are vulnerable that they be euthanised so that their organs can be harvested for use by others. Euthanasia, even more than assisted death, dehumanises patients, undermines medical culture, leads away from the proper development of palliative care, and debases the practice of medicine.
Right To Life campaigns against any attempt to legalise such practices, and for the development of palliative care services and end of life care that remove any perceived need for euthanasia.
If a person is admitted to hospital and they want to receive to food and fluids, we uphold that right and can offer advice as to how an intervention might be made to attempt to prevent these from being withdrawn against patient wishes with the sole purpose of causing death.
France: Euthanasia bill fails
A bill to legalise euthanasia in France last week failed to pass after stiff opposition in the French Parliament. The bill was promoted by Olivier Falorni of the ‘Libertes et Territoires (Freedom and Territories) party. He said a law that permitted euthanasia in...
Belgium euthanasia law broken, says academic study
A recently published article in an academic journal has found a “widening” scope and failing safeguards in the provision of euthanasia in Belgium. The article, “Euthanasia in Belgium: Shortcomings of the Law and Its Application and of the Monitoring of Practice”,...
Portugal: Euthanasia bill rejected as unconstitutional
The Constitutional Court in Portugal has rejected as unconstitutional a euthanasia bill approved by its parliament in January. The law, passed in January this year, required the approval of the President to enter into force. The President asked the Constitutional...
Canadian hospice faces lay offs and eviction for refusing euthanasia
A Canadian hospice has said that it is being forced to lay off clinical staff and faces eviction because those operating the hospice have refused to participate in euthanasia of their patients. The 10-bed Irene Thomas Hospice in Ladner, British Columbia, is run by the...
State of Oregon sees 28% increase in assisted suicides in one year
The number of deaths by assisted suicide in 2020 in the US state of Oregon has increased by 28% over the previous year, according to the latest data. The Oregon Health Authority has published its latest report on assisted suicide in the state and reveals 245 people...
Poll suggests 80% of voters in NZ euthanasia referendum did not understand what they were voting for
Polling suggests that 80% of those who voted in October’s assisted suicide referendum in New Zealand misunderstood what the law would actually do. In October, the ‘End of Life Choice Act’ became law through a binding referendum where 65.2% of voters supported the Act....
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