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ANOTHER attempt to make voluntary euthanasia legal in SA will be put to both Houses of Parliament this week.

The Supreme Court handed medical marijuana users a major defeat today, ruling that a federal law classifying the drug as illegal has no exception for ill patients.

A Dutch appeals court said Tuesday it would hear further expert evidence before ruling on the case of a doctor who helped a healthy 86-year-old commit suicide because he was “tired of living”.

Rank-and-file doctors favor physician-assisted suicide by nearly twice the rate of the elected leadership of the nation’s premier medical organization, according to a survey by a Baylor College of Medicine professor.

J Andrew Billings: In this article I introduce current concepts about palliative care and review advances in this subject over the past five years, highlighting developments of particular interest to generalists.

A majority of Swedes think that those who want euthanasia should be allowed to have it, according to a recent poll.

Pain affects more than 70% of cancer patients but is often undertreated. The authors review and present methodologies to maximize proper palliative approaches to this symptom for the majority of patients.

In what was both feared and celebrated as a morally groundbreaking decision, the Dutch Senate on Tuesday enshrined in law a terminally ill patient’s right to suicide and a doctor’

France’s straight-talking health minister plans to press for the legalization of euthanasia after favorable opinion polls in France and a vote last week made the Netherlands the first country to openly endorse mercy killing.

Legislative Council – South Australia

Wednesday, 14th March 2001

Extract from Hansard

DIGNITY IN DYING BILL

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to provide for the administration of medical procedures to assist the death of patients who are hopelessly ill and who have experienced a desire for the procedure subject to appropriate safeguards. Read a first time.

The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Policymakers and pro-euthanasia groups in the Netherlands voiced the hope that Tuesday’s landmark decision to legalize mercy-killing will encourage discussion on the controversial issue elsewhere.

This paper presents terminal sedation and voluntary refusal of hydration and nutrition as potential last resorts.