Suicide Tourism

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Sperling
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Cultural Analysis ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Freedom Of Movement ◽  
The Us ◽  
Contractual Agreements ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
National Boundaries ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Domestic Law

This book explores the phenomenon of ‘suicide tourism’. Freedom of movement creates problems with policies constrained by national boundaries and, as more countries contemplate regulating assisted suicide, there is now a pressing need for a theoretical investigation of the issues that provides a thorough appraisal of the global situation. Switzerland is no longer the only country where a person can find assistance for legal suicide. A similar law has been passed in Croatia, and Dutch and Belgian laws do not prohibit assisted suicide for non-residents. Few states in the US provide for physician-assisted suicide for state residents but US citizens from elsewhere can take simple steps to overcome this restriction. As more countries legally permit assisted suicide, suicide tourism will become a larger and more complex global practice. The book sets out the parameters for future debate, first contextualizing the practice and casting light on how it is treated under international and domestic law. It then analyses the ethical ramifications, and considers where the state’s responsibility should lie in dealing with accompanying persons and in regulating contractual agreements. It also contains a sociological and cultural analysis of suicide tourism, a review of policy and media reports on the topic, and interviews with various stakeholders (including policymakers, and medical and patients’ organizations) in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, and the UK. The book concludes with a summary of the legal, ethical, political, and sociological dimensions of suicide tourism, offering recommendations for how professionals and policymakers might respond to this evolving phenomenon.

The Globalization of Disability Protests, 1970‐2005: Pushing the Limits of Cross-Cultural Research?

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Barnartt
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Mobility Impairments ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Political Protests ◽  
The Us ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThis paper examines political protests related to disability issues which occurred since 1970. It examines almost 700 protests outside the US and over 1200 within the US. The data come from media reports and organization websites. Results show that US protests increased after 1984 while non-US protests increased substantially after 1989. The largest numbers of non-US protests occurred in the UK and Canada. US protests are proportionally more likely than non-US protests to be cross-disability or to relate to mobility impairments, while outside of the US disability-specific protests, especially those related to blindness and deafness, are more common. American protests are more likely to target governments as opposed to non-governmental targets than were non-US protests. Factors relating to disability as well as methodological limitations are considered in explaining these differences.

Conscientious objection and physician-assisted suicide: a viable option in the UK?

2018 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2018-001541
Author(s):  
Derek Willis ◽  
Rob George
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Conscientious Objection ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Viable Option ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Legal Grounds

Conscience objection is a proposed way of ensuring that medical practitioners who object to physician-assisted suicide may avoid having to be involved in such a procedure if this is legalised. This right on the part of healthcare professionals already exists in certain circumstances. This paper examines the ethical and legal grounds for conscientious objection for medical professionals and shows how it is heavily criticised in circumstances where it is already used. The paper comes to the conclusion that as the grounds and application of conscience objection are no longer as widely accepted, its future application in any legislation can be called into question.

Empirical research in the debate on physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-132
Author(s):  
Stephen W Smith
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Data ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Voluntary Euthanasia ◽  
Assisted Dying ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Select Committee ◽  
End Of Life Decisions ◽  
The Uk

This article explores the use of empirical data when considering whether to legalize physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and voluntary euthanasia. In particular, it focuses on the evidence available to the Select Committee for the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill on whether or not covert euthanasia is taking place in the UK under the current prohibition of PAS and voluntary euthanasia. The article shows that there is an insufficient evidentiary basis to make any claims about the extent of covert euthanasia within the UK, although there is sufficient evidence to conclude that instances of covert euthanasia do happen. The article also calls for more research to be conducted in order to determine the rate of covert euthanasia in order to inform debate about the legalization of end-of-life decisions such as PAS and voluntary euthanasia.

Could Physician-Assisted Suicide be Classified as a Service Under Article 49 of the European Community Treaty?

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-163
Author(s):  
Ben P. Slight
Keyword(s):  
Member State ◽  
European Community ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
European Court ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Ec Law

This paper considers whether it is possible to classify physician assisted suicide (PAS) as a ‘service’ for the purposes of Article 49 of the European Community Treaty. It suggests that if PAS were to be formally recognised as a ‘service’ for the purposes of European Community (EC) Law, it is unlikely that the UK Government would be able to deny terminally ill Britons from exercising their rights as EU Citizens to obtain PAS in the more permissive jurisdictions of Member States. This paper will demonstrate that the provision of PAS in a Member State by a Dignitas-type organisation could easily fulfil the requirements of Article 49 and be recognised as a service under Community Law. Owing to the considerable rights that the classification of PAS as a ‘service’ under EC Law would afford terminally ill individuals, the paper will examine the case law of the European Court of Justice relating to the free movement of services. This jurisprudential analysis will contend that it is unlikely that a Member State could invoke any of the agreed exceptions to Article 49 as a method of restricting the availability of PAS as a service within its jurisdiction.

scholarly journals Treatment, Palliative Care or Euthanasia? Comparing End of Life Issues in Human and Veterinary Medicine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Eyre-Pugh
Keyword(s):  
Veterinary Medicine ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
The Uk

Not a lot is known about either death or the dying process. Politicians and many in the medical profession in the UK tend to shy away from interfering with it by not allowing euthanasia as an end of life option for the patient. This is the first paper in a series of two, comparing the situation in human medicine and veterinary medicine, in which euthanasia is well practiced for relieving suffering at the end of an animal’s life. This first part takes the form of a literature review including best practice around end of life care, its deficiencies and the need for assisted dying. Veterinary surgeons are well trained in the ethics of euthanasia and put it to good use in the best interest of their animal patients. In countries which have legalized physician assisted suicide for the terminally ill reporting indicates that it works well, without increases in involuntary euthanasia and most importantly without intimidation of the vulnerable. However, there is still an ever increasing tendency to overuse sedation and opioids at the end of life, which merits further investigation. With advances in medical science able to significantly prolong the dying process, patient autonomy demands a review of the law in the UK.

scholarly journals Treatment, Palliative Care or Euthanasia? Comparing End of Life Issues in Human and Veterinary Medicine

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Eyre-Pugh ◽  
James W. Yeates
Keyword(s):  
Veterinary Medicine ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
The Uk

Not a lot is known about either death or the dying process. Politicians and the medical profession in the UK tend to shy away from interfering with it by not allowing euthanasia as an end of life option for the patient. This is the first paper in a series of two, comparing the situation in human medicine and veterinary medicine, in which euthanasia is well practiced for relieving suffering at the end of life. This first part takes the form of a literature review including best practice around end of life care, its deficiencies and the need for assisted dying. Veterinary surgeons are well trained in the ethics of euthanasia and put it to good use in the best interest of their animal patients. In countries which have legalized physician assisted suicide for the terminally ill reporting indicates that it works well, without increases in involuntary euthanasia and most importantly without intimidation of the vulnerable. However, there is still an ever increasing tendency to overuse sedation and opioids at the end of life, which merits further investigation. With advances in medical science able to significantly prolong the dying process, patient autonomy demands a review of the law in the UK.

Ethics in cancer care

2019 ◽  
pp. 159-172
Keyword(s):  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Ethical Principles ◽  
Assisted Dying ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Drug Treatments ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Right

The biomedical ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are well established, though they have been challenged by feminist and nursing ethics. Decision-making in practice requires a balance of not only ethical principles, but also legal and professional frameworks, alongside patient and family wishes. Cancer clinical trials raise ethical issues around the balance between risk and potential benefits to patients, and they may need support making the right decision about whether to participate. The rising cost of cancer drug treatments has raised difficult questions about which drugs should be authorized for use within the United Kingdom (UK)'s National Health Service. End-of-life care raises particularly challenging ethical issues. Mental capacity or competence is defined in law in the UK, and treatment decisions may be made on behalf of patients if they are assessed and found to lack capacity. However, patients and families are encouraged to make advance statements and decisions about treatment in the event of losing capacity. Decisions on whether to give, withdraw, or withhold treatment, artificial hydration and nutrition, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are sensitive, and should be based on assessment, consultation with family, and consideration of ethical, legal, and professional principles. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (assisted dying) are highly contentious issues internationally and illegal in most countries. Some countries allow them under certain circumstances. In response to a patient asking about assisted dying, the nurse should listen to their concerns, be prepared to talk about the process of dying, and support them to establish their priorities.

Views regarding physician-assisted suicide: a study of medical professionals at various points in their training

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Kitching ◽  
Andrew James Stevens ◽  
Louise Forman
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Postal Questionnaire ◽  
Acute Hospital ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Opt Out ◽  
The Uk

In this study, we sought to obtain detailed opinion on some of the practical issues that might arise should physician-assisted suicide (PAS) ever be legalized in the UK. We carried out an anonymous postal questionnaire of medical students, junior and senior doctors working at an acute hospital trust, over a three-week period. A total of 435 questionnaires were distributed and we had an overall return rate of 34%. We found that opinions changed very little as doctors progressed from medical school through to senior clinical positions. Overall, there was neutral opinion on whether PAS should be legalized. There was strong support for a multidisciplinary approach to the process and the involvement of the coroner. An opt-out clause for physicians who did not want to be involved in assisted suicide also received strong support.

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