Euthanasia in the Netherlands

[marionq]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ted-deaths-netherlands?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I don’t know if I have copied this article from the Guardian properly but if so then it gave me real food for thought when I saw the statistics from the Netherlands.

 

[Bunpoots]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ted-deaths-netherlands?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I don’t know if I have copied this article from the Guardian properly but if so then it gave me real food for thought when I saw the statistics from the Netherlands.

In the UK a patient at end of life would be given in certain circumstances "something to help them on their way". This is now illegal, but I think it was a kindness for everyone involved. Not sure how I feel about this article. Food for thought indeed.

 

[Grahamstown]

Euthanasia used to be common in the UK, but it wasn't seen as such. A patient at end of life would be given "something to help them on their way". This is now illegal, but I think it was a kindness for everyone involved. Not sure how I feel about this article. Food for thought indeed.

When I was nursing terminally ill patients many years ago, it was called adequate pain relief, never ‘euthanasia’. Today pain control in these patients can often be inadequate because of fear of prosecution. We have got ourselves into a terrible tangle over end of life care and some of it can be laid at the door of Harold Shipman. At the moment one just hopes for a kind doctor and common sense.

 

[Lawson58]

State of Victoria has just legislated for voluntary euthanasia to be available from sometime in 2019 and it was for the most part seen as very welcome.

Regulations are very tight and there are timing delays built into the system to rule out any notion of the decision being made on impulse. Capacity was crucial to the legislation getting through.

I think the sort of cases mentioned in the article occur everywhere especially in places where doctor assisted suicide isn't possible and I think we all know of people who have been given huge amounts of particular drugs to deal with pain knowing that it will hasten the end. I suspect that many GPs have been quietly helping terminally ill people to slip away for many years.

It will be interesting to see how well supervised it will be and how many people actually choose to use it.