A coalition, assembled to oppose the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted-suicide in New Zealand, was formally launched last Thursday to at a function at Parliament. The Care Alliance is an umbrella organisation that brings together a wide range of voices from across the palliative, medical, youth, elderly, disability, bioethics and faith sectors who are opposed Read more
Belgium has taken the shocking but unsurprising step of legalising euthanasia for children. The law stipulates that the child must be terminally ill, incurably suffering and possess complete understanding of what euthanasia means. Campaigners for “assisted dying” often point out that the majority of people would back an assisted suicide law in the UK. Possibly. Read more
John Kleinsman believes there are better alternatives than euthanasia If euthanasia is legalised the right to die will all too easily become a duty to die. The crux of this debate is whether what a suicidal person proposes – to kill themselves – is a goal which should be shared and facilitated by the state, Read more
The government of Belgium, where euthanasia is now legal for people over the age of 18, is considering passing a law that will legalize euthanasia for children and adults with early dementia. Advocates argue that euthanasia for children, with the consent of their parents, is necessary to give families an option in a desperately painful Read more
Maryan Street, a member of Parliament in New Zealand disputes the figures in a report prepared by the Institute of Marriage and Family in Canada which claims deaths by assisted suicide have increased wherever the practices have been legalised. The report states that international evidence shows that once assisted suicide or euthanasia are legalised, the criteria morph to include more Read more
The bishops’ conference of Canada is redoubling its efforts to inform and educate about the issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The conference posted a new section on its website about euthanasia and assisted suicide. The site comes as a bill in Quebec aims to allow physicians to administer “terminal palliative sedation” or “medial Read more
The Wellington regional coroner Ian Smith is acting irresponsibly in failing to recognise the real dangers of lethal elder abuse, says Bernard Moran who is the national president of Voice for Life Inc. “Smith is within his coronial rights to describe Edna Gluyas’ death as suicide or euthanasia, but to call for Parliament to yet again confront euthanasia is Read more
Wellington Regional Coroner Ian Smith calling for Parliament to make up its mind about euthanasia after an elderly woman chose to suffocate herself with a handmade contraption in her Lower Hutt home. In his report, Mr Smith calls for Parliament to confront the issue of euthanasia – a topic that has long been dodged. “Once again Read more
Rebel theologian Hans Kung, who at the age of 85 is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, has revealed he is considering seeking help to take his own life. In the final volume of his three-part memoirs, he says he has macular degeneration as well as Parkinson’s disease. He will soon be blind, and can hardly manage Read more
“While the decision by Labour MP Maryan Street to withdraw her Euthanasia Bill from the Members Ballot today is welcomed, we understand that it arises from purely political motives – a wish to avoid a controversial debate in an election year – rather than out of concern for the dangerous social consequences of such a Read more