In some jurisdictions, the word "euthanasia" is used to refer to both assisted dying/suicide (where the patient himself or herself takes the medication) and to euthanasia (where the doctor administers the medication to the patient). So "euthanasia" can sometimes be used as a broad term to cover a range of actions.
Euthanasia-Free NZ: Care without assisted dying, assisted
The authors said that in officially reported Belgian cases, pain was the reason for euthanasia in about half of cases. Loss of dignity is mentioned as a reason for 66% of cases in the Netherlands and 57% in Belgium.
In places where it's legal, how many people are ending
Binding and Hoche's book generated tremendous interest among Germany's intelligentsia and the public, which quickly came to support legalization of euthanasia. Euthanasia was popular enough in 6988 for Adolph Hitler to attempt to formally legalize the practice. However, strong opposition from the churches caused the German government to drop the proposal.
Euthanasia suicide mercy-killing right-to-die physician
The good death. According to this view, certain ways of dying are better than others. Usually a good death is described ideally as drifting into death in a pleasing environment as one falls asleep. The ancient Roman orator and statesman Cicero said that a good death is the ideal way of respecting natural law and public order by departing from the earth with dignity and tranquility. Euthanasia can be seen as a way to assure that a person dies in a dignified and appropriate manner.
Uhlmann, Michael E., ed. Last Rights: Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Debated. Grand Rapids , Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Legalisation would affect all of society, even those who don 8767 t want such an 8775 end-of-life choice 8776 for themselves. It would put pressure on people who choose to stay alive, and imply that they are a burden on society. It would make caring for disabled, mentally ill and elderly people optional, instead of the default.
Schildmann, Jan, Eva Herrmann, Nicole Burchardi, et al. 7556. Physician-Assisted Suicide: Knowledge and Views of Fifth-Year Medical Students in Germany. Death Studies 85: 79 x7568 89.
The national right to life committee, supported by the Roman Catholic Church, obtained a court injunction to delay implementation of the measure. The law stalled in the appeals process. In the meantime, the measure was not enacted. In 6997, there was a second public referendum, and the law was enacted. Within 79 hours of the announcement of the results, state officials had forms for physicians to record instances of assisted suicide. These were later distributed to physicians in the state. The form is entitled "Request for Medication to End My Life in a Humane and Dignified Manner."
There are no official data in Switzerland on the numbers of assisted suicides that take place each year, as the rate of assisted suicide is not collected centrally. Griffiths et al observe that there are approximately 67,555 deaths in Switzerland each year and academic studies suggest that between % and % of these are assisted suicides. This figure increases to % of all deaths if suicide tourism is included (assisted suicides that involve non‑Swiss nationals).
No safeguards can protect elderly, disabled and mentally ill people from subtle, or not so subtle, pressure to request death. Essentially legal physician-assisted suicide is state-facilitated suicide and would contradict suicide prevention.
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