Sean Davidson, a New Zealand citizen who was working and living in South Africa, returned home to Dunedin to care for his sick and dying mother.  Reports suggest that, at the time, she was deliberately starving herself to death.A court case in New Zealand has sparked debate about Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide. Continue reading

  The first tells the story of a French Woman with Locked In syndrome, her fight for life and against euthanasia that recently saw her receive France's highest honour, .  The French Parliament, only a few years ago, shunned euthanasia and assisted suicide in a comprehensive parliamentary report. Continue reading

Whenever I speak on the subject of euthanasia & assisted suicide, one of my main points is always the issue of  .Elder Abuse Continue reading

It's not very often that I find myself in agreement with Phillip Nitschke.  We've been on opposite sides of a number of debates both formal and informal in recent months.  But in Launceston he surprised me. In my presentation I described the bill in South Australia sponsored by Steph Key MP pointing out that it was very much a euthanasia free-for-all.  I drew the audience's attention to the fact that the bill did not even put up the pretence of safeguards (so-called).  I invited the three persons in opposition to us (including Nitschke) that night to join me in opposing the bill (if they believed in 'appropriate safeguards' as at least one of the three states on his website).Nitschke responded in very clear terms by saying that the bill in question was a 'decriminalization model' of euthanasia and that he wholeheartedly supported it.  And of course, he's right.  The bill effectively removes from the homicide section of the criminal code direct killing and assisting in suicide if the defendant (doctor or nurse or others assisting) 'believed on reasonable grounds that the person was an adult person of sound mind who was suffering from an illness, injury or other medical condition that irreversibly impaired the person's quality of life so that life had become intolerable to that person (the qualifying illness)'. Continue reading

  The Adelaide Advertiser Continue reading

Vancouver Canada on the 3rd to the 5th of June brought together leaders in the movements against euthanasia & assisted suicide from around the globe.  A great success, the symposium was also the platform for the creation of an International Board to assist in the co-ordination of efforts around the world. READ ALEX SCHADENBERG'S REPORT Continue reading

  Two bills before the South Australian Parliament at the moment attempt precisely that by amending the longstanding Palliative Care Act to include acts of euthanasia and assisted suicide.  The argument they are making is essentially that euthanizing a patient is simply one option in the suite of palliative care options available to medical professionals.  That's rather like suggesting that dentists could do brain surgery rather than fix your root canal!Palliative care is a holistic approach to terminal illness and the dying process.  It seeks to address the whole spectrum of issues that confront a person with a terminal diagnosis through information, high quality care and pain relief, dealing with the emotions, dispelling fear, offering spiritual support if required and including the family in every aspect of the patient's care. Continue reading

    Even in our modern world, there are still many, many areas of our existence where we rightly and for good reason, do  have a right to choose. Continue reading

 In South Australia, where euthanasia bills grow like weeds (or so it seems) the latest of four attempts to legalise the practice in this parliament alone, was dealt a critical blow this week. In a joint letter, the SA branch of the Australian Medical Association and the SA Society condemned the bill in what could only be said to be an unusual, but exceedingly welcome, move.To anyone who has not followed the debate, this might not seem to be news at all.  No-one expects the AMA to think otherwise and it is always possible that senior lawyers might see errors in the drafting or effect of a bill where others might not. Continue reading

In a very welcome move, the SA AMA issued a joint statement with the Law Society of SA making their opposition to the Key euthanasia bill crystal clear and on logically sound grounds.  See the letter: AMA & Law Society letter Sept 12 2011 Continue reading