De Standaard newspaper is reporting today that, for the very first time since its inception in October 2002, the Belgian Euthanasia Commission has referred a reported euthanasia case to the judiciary for review. The case in question is well known as it was recorded by the Australian SBS TV Network reporter, Brett Mason, in a Dateline documentary aired in Australia in September. As Mason reported:"Simona de Moor is a physically healthy 85-year-old. She lives in a care home in Antwerp, but is still active and on no medication. Continue reading

Hot on the heels of HOPE's call for a parliamentary inquiry into Exit International and following closely upon Disability Advocates, Lives Worth Living, joining their voice, Victorian Upper House MP, Rachel Carling-Jenkins has now called upon her Federal colleagues to 'take this on board as a matter of high priority.' In her statement, just released, Rachel Carling-Jenkins MLC welcomes the decision of the medical board to restrict Dr Nitschke's association with Exit and suicide advocacy adding that, 'This is just the tip of the iceberg.''We know vulnerable Australians have been falling victim to the dark world of suicide advocacy, especially through Exit International. This includes young Australians who had their whole lives ahead of them.' Carling-Jenkins said today. Continue reading

Australian Disability Advocacy group Lives Worth Living weighed in on the news, yesterday, concerning the medical board of Australia's decision to severely restrict Dr Nitschke's affilliation with the work of Exit International, by joining the call of an Inquiry. LWL Convener Craig Wallace said today, that, "LWL welcomes the heavy restrictions placed on Dr. Nitschke. They highlight the need to protect all Australians from coercion to commit suicide, especially people with disabilities. Australians with disabilities face a lack of support, including specifically designed suicide prevention programs." "Despite the decision, the threat is not over. There now needs to be a Parliamentary Inquiry into the actions of Exit International. The restrictions placed on Dr. Nitschke raise real questions about the role and work of Exit International in coaching people towards suicide through online forums as evidence in the tragic events reported last year", Mr. Wallace said. Continue reading

BY CAROLYN MOYNIHAN first published on MercatorNet When it comes to a moral issue like euthanasia, those who participate in the debate are going to be on one side or the other. It is improbable that medical experts, ethicists, researchers, lawyers and politicians who play a part, either by choice or duty, do not begin with a position on the matter - even if it subsequently changes.In the normal course of events we find out. But not always, not even where it could make a material difference to the democratic process. Continue reading

Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA This article first appeared in The Jurist Journal and is reproduced here from Margaret Dore's blog:California has passed a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide, which is scheduled to go into effect during 2016. "The End of Life Option Act" was sold as giving patients choice and control at the end of life. The bill, in fact, is about ending the lives of people who are not necessarily dying anytime soon and giving other people the "option" to hurry them along. The bill is a recipe for elder abuse and family trauma. Continue reading

The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency, the Medical Board, moved today (26th Oct) to curtail the suicide advocacy of Dr Philip Nitschke in creating an unprecedented 25 restrictions upon his licence to practice medicine. This action is the culmination of a dozen complaints the agency had received, dating back almost four years, including one by the author over three years ago about the promotion of hypoxic death methods utilizing nitrogen gas.Originally, the 12 complaints were to have been aired in medical tribunal hearings scheduled for Darwin (NT) in November. Nitschke admitted, in various news reports today that he had 'reached an agreement' with the medical board in September this year to accept the boards restrictions rather than facing 'four to six weeks of "costly" tribunal hearings.' He may have been concerned for the cost after recently incurring significant legal fees in successfully appealing an earlier suspension. Continue reading

Paul Russell, Director of HOPE: preventing euthanasia & assisted suicide welcomes the decision of the Medical Board, AHPRA to severely restrict Philip Nitschke's medical licence in respect to his relationship to the work of Exit International. AHPRA Media Release: Board imposes conditions on Dr Phillip Nitschke, ending legal process"The decision of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in response to a number of complaints about the activities of Exit and Philip Nitschke is most welcome." said Mr Russell. Continue reading

By Alex SchadenbergExecutive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The 2014 Netherlands euthanasia report was released indicating that there was another 10% increase in assisted deaths. There were also 41 assisted deaths for psychiatric reasons and 81 assisted deaths for dementia. The term assisted death refers to deaths by euthanasia and assisted suicide.The 2014 report stated that there were reported 5306 assisted deaths up from 4829 reported assisted deaths in 2013. These numbers do not include the unreported assisted deaths. Continue reading

By Alex Schadenberg International Chair, Euthanasia Prevention CoalitionFor several years the Oregon suicide statistics seemed to indicate that legalizing assisted suicide had a suicide contagion effect. Continue reading

By Alex SchadenbergExecutive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Professor Theo Boer, who was a member of a regional euthanasia review committee for 9 years, and then changed his mind to now oppose legalizing euthanasia, wrote an opinion article that was published in - The Press Democrat in California.Boer argues that California Governor Jerry Brown should have talked to Holland before he signed the assisted suicide bill. Boer wrote: Continue reading