Questions are being asked after a man received a formal Catholic blessing at Mass shortly before committing medically assisted suicide. Robert Fuller, an HIV and cancer patient committed suicide on 10 May, five days after he was blessed at St Therese Parish in the Seattle archdiocese, After the blessing, Fr Quentin Dupont led children who Read more
A Canadian father who could not received ongoing financial support for his costly healthcare has died following a medically assisted suicide. Sean Tagert, 41, who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) agreed to having his life ended after years of struggle to find adequate care. His illness robbed him of the ability to move his Read more
New legislation in Oregon shortens an initial waiting period for some persons seeking assisted suicide, allowing them to receive quicker access to life-ending drugs. Governor Kate Brown signed SB 579 into law July 23. The bill had passed the Senate in May and the House of Representatives in June. If the terminally ill patient has Read more
New Zealand-born euthanasia campaigner Sean Davison is facing a third murder charge in South Africa. Davison – who was born in Auckland – appeared briefly in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on charges related to the death of sportsman Richard Holland in November 2015.
An Australian medical ethicist has called on the Senate to reject a bill clearing the way to legalise voluntary assisted dying across Australia. University of Notre Dame bioethics Professor Margaret Somerville says international experience demonstrates euthanasia is being used as a cheaper alternative to psychiatric and palliative care. In a paper published in the Journal Read more
A Vancouver medical authority’s hospice and palliative care facilities now include a medically assisted death provision. The Fraser Health Board’s decision to impose the provision on their facilities has been widely criticised. A number of people have rejected the decision. They include Vancouver’s Archbishop J. Michael Miller, the director of Fraser Health Board’s palliative care Read more
The Bishop of Palmerston North is encouraging senior students in Catholic schools to get involved in the debate on euthanasia and to make submissions on the End of Life Choice Bill. Bishop Charles Drennan has sent out a letter to year 13 students in Catholic Colleges, suggesting they get involved in the discussion that is currently occurring Read more
Throughout this term of Parliament it has been my privilege to serve as chair of the health committee. Over the last two years, it has been my responsibility to lead the inquiry into assisted suicide and euthanasia as requested by a petition to Parliament. I led a group of dedicated MPs from a cross-section of Read more
Euthanasia marginalises an already vulnerable group and should not be legalised. A report from a Victorian parliamentary committee is expected to recommend legislative changes that would permit assisted dying. The stage for such change has already been set through a series of recent media articles and public events. Earlier this year, The Age reported the case of 55-year-old Read more
The New Zealand Parliament Health Committee’s report on Euthanasia has made a single recommendation. Read the report. “The Health Committee has considered Petition 2014/18 of Hon Maryan Street and 8,974 others and recommends that the House take note of its report.” The the Committee recognises that that euthanasia is a very complicated, very divisive, and Read more