The recently-passed Bill 52 of the Quebec legislature that legalised euthanasia will be challenged in the Canadian Courts.Alex Schadenberg Reports: Continue reading

The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, on June 24 ordered France to continue providing food and water to Vincent Lambert, a man who was injured in a motorbike accident in 2008. The decision by the European Court of Human Rights came hours after a French court ordered that food and water be discontinued for Lambert. Reuters News reported that:The court's request is set to delay by months or even years the outcome of a legal battle where Lambert's parents are resisting his wife Rachel's attempts to withdraw life support. The Strasbourg-based court said in a statement the case would be treated "according to the fastest procedure possible". A spokesman there acknowledged that even emergency procedures can take months or up to one or two years. Continue reading

Wednesday 25th of June. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom delivered its judgement in three related appeal cases related to the issue of assisted suicide and in consideration both of British domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights. In all cases, the nine senior judges refused to act to change the existing laws. All three appellants lived with significant paralysing disabilities and were not able to suicide without assistance.Nicklinson and Lamb: Nicklinson had previously applied to the High Court for (i) a declaration that it would be lawful for a doctor to kill him or to assist him in terminating his life, or, if that was refused, (ii) a declaration that the current state of the law in that connection was incompatible with his right to a private life under article 8 of the Convention ("Article 8"). Nicklinson was joined by Lamb. The High Court rejected their application and Nicklinson died of pneumonia in the days following the decision. His wife, Jane, was continuing his action. Continue reading

The Australian Newspaper is today reporting on the guilty verdict in the trial of a woman who systematically stole the assets of the person she was caring for to fuel a gambling habit and then murdered him to try and cover up.  Continue reading

found Freiburghaus guilty of killing an 89 year old man for whom there had been no formal diagnosis, even though the man had claimed to be suffering pain, had attempted suicide and was threatening suicide. The prosecution argued that Freiburghaus had "crossed the line" by failing to follow the legal regulations, which require that a doctor must properly diagnose the presence of an incurable illness and a short life expectancy before assisting suicide.Freiburghaus told the court he acted out of compassion in prescribing sodium pentobarbital to the elderly man, who was suffering from pain and had tried to end his life. Continue reading

Mortier along with Dr Georges Casteur, allege that Distelmans did not have the expertise to evaluate whether Godelieva De Troyer, was ready for voluntary euthanasia. Distelmans is an oncologist, not a psychiatrist and was not even De Troyer's doctor beforehand. She was physically healthy and not suffering from physical pain, and had spoken with psychiatrists who thought that her emotional distress was at least treatable. In fact, she was taking medication at the time, which can cause suicidal ideation - so clearly a treatment plan was in place and it may have been causing serious side-effects. Distelmans, it seems, did not take that into account.  Continue reading

This article was written by Michael Cook and published on  February 22 on Bioedge. Continue reading

comments on a court judgment in New Mexico. The judgment in favour of assisted suicide was given in a lower court, so we hope and expect an appeal by the New Mexico attorney-general. Wesley SmithIf you ever wonder why there are so many radical and extreme lawsuits, wonder no more. As I have often said about a variety of issues, it only takes one judge to break down the walls of democratic governance and impose an ideological view. Continue reading

From Alex Schadenberg's Blog:  The  Continue reading

Congratulations to Alex Schadenberg, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and the Canadian Government for taking the Carter Case to the BC Appeals court. The decision upholds the Canadian Criminal Code's opposition to assisted suicide.  From the EPC Media Release: Continue reading