Assisted Suicide

Dutch celebrate a decade of euthanasia with a film festival

Michael Cook | 06 February 2012

Controversial UK commission backs assisted suicide

Michael Cook | 17 January 2012

The UK should legalise assisted suicide, says a report by a private group headed by former lord chancellor Lord Falconer.

UK to study guidelines for doctors who are asked to help in a suicide

Michael Cook | 17 December 2011

The UK body for regulating doctors, the General Medical Council, has announced that it is working on guidelines for telling doctors what they should do if a patient asks for help in committing suicide. There is an increasing number of Britons seeking to go to Switzerland to seek death at suicide clinics. There will be a public consultation early next year.

Massachusetts Medical Society reasserts opposition to physician-assisted suicide

Jared Yee | 10 December 2011

The 23,000 members of the Massachusetts Medical Society have voted against physician-assisted suicide. Its House of Delegates voted by a large majority for maintaining a policy the Society has had since 1996.

Canadian expert report endorses euthanasia

Michael Cook | 19 November 2011

A lengthy report on euthanasia commissioned by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) has strongly recommended the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The six-person panel argues that this is consistent with Canadian values, and will not lead to an increase in elder abuse or a slippery slope from voluntary to non-voluntary euthanasia.

British Columbia’s supreme court to hear assisted suicide challenge

Michael Cook | 19 November 2011

The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association has launched a constitutional challenge to a ban on assisted suicide. It is representing several plaintiffs, including Gloria Taylor, a 63-year-old woman with the degenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Auction of Kevorkian paintings and suicide machine a damp squib

Jared Yee | 02 November 2011

Jack Kevorkian’s suicide machine was withdrawn from an auction last week after failing to reach the reserve price.

British nurses could be jailed for mentioning assisted suicide

Jared Yee | 28 October 2011

Nurses will be warned that they could go to prison if they talk to patients about assisted suicide. They will be told that they face prosecution if they are found to have spoken about any aspect of assisted suicide with patients who go on to kill themselves.

Killing the willing

Michael Cook | 21 October 2011

On Thursday (Oct 20), 38-year-old Christopher Johnson was executed by lethal injection in an Alabama prison after only four years on death row. The average time between sentencing and death in the US is currently about 14 years, but Johnson consistently declined to appeal or ask for clemency. He had murdered his six-month-old son to spite his estranged wife.

Dutch doctors complain about long wait for judgments in euthanasia cases

Jared Yee | 23 September 2011

Dutch euthanasia doctors must wait up to eight months to find out if they will undergo criminal investigation.

44 assisted suicides in UK since CPS guidelines published

Jared Yee | 16 September 2011

More than 40 people have committed suicide since new guidelines for prosecuting people who helped them were issued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

UK dementia expert backs assisted suicide

Michael Cook | 03 September 2011

The UK should legalise assisted suicide according to a leading government adviser on dementia and care for the elderly. Martin Green, the chief executive of the English Community Care Association, which represents nursing and care home groups, said that it made no sense to exclude assisted suicide from the “mantra of choice and control” which inspires British health care.

English coroners turn blind eye to assisted suicide, says report

Michael Cook | 27 August 2011

Coroners are ignoring evidence of assisted suicide, claims an unofficial report on the link between chronic and terminal illness and suicide. “The Truth about Suicide”, from the Demos, a progressive London think tank, claims that about 10% of all suicides in England are linked to chronic or terminal illness.

New website gives info on US euthanasia initiatives

Michael Cook | 27 August 2011

A new website opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia brings together useful information about the status the law in the various American states. “Choice is an Illusion” provides up-to-date information about what is happening in the United States

US assisted suicide group opens campaign for voluntary starvation

Michael Cook | 20 August 2011

Campaigners for voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide seem to be trying to make them more acceptable by blurring the moral boundaries. In the Netherland, terminal sedation – death by starvation under heavy sedation – is an increasingly popular with doctors. Now Compassion & Choices, an American lobby group, has launched a public relations campaign for VSED, voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.

Italy moves towards ban on euthanasia

Michael Cook | 15 July 2011

Italy’s lower house has passed a controversial end-of-life bill which makes it illegal to withdraw hydration and nutrition from comatose patients in most cases.

Swiss back off restrictions on assisted suicide

Michael Cook | 02 July 2011

Despite controversy at home and abroad over its law on assisted suicide, the Swiss government has decided not to modify it. Instead, it plans to promote palliative care and suicide prevention.

German docs keep ban on assisted suicide

Michael Cook | 02 July 2011

After a heated debate German doctors have voted to maintain a ban on doctors assisting patients who wish to commit suicide. The vote was convincing: 166 against 56, with 7 abstentions. The president of the Federal Medical Council, Joerg-Dietrich Hoppe, declared: "Physicians must assist the dying, while respecting their dignity and respecting their intentions. But they are forbidden to kill patients at their request. You must not assist a suicide. "

Why the disabled fear assisted suicide: Dominic Lawson

Jared Yee | 25 June 2011

Last week’s BBC broadcast of the suicide of 71-year-old Peter Smedley in Switzerland was a public relations triumph for campaigner Sir Terry Pratchett. “This has been a happy event,” he told the BBC.

Dignitas: not a typical holiday get-away

Michael Cook | 24 June 2011

About 160 Britons have died at Dignitas, about one in six of the clients of the Swiss suicide clinic in Zurich. What is it like?