Belgian prisoners denied euthanasia
They fail to meet minimum requirements Belgian serial rapist and murderer Frank Den Bleeken, who was serving a life sentence, sparked a controversy by asking...
Filling out euthanasia death certificates in Quebec
Doctors are being told to lie about the cause of death Physician-assisted suicide begins in Quebec on December 10. One of the overlooked consequences of...
Dutch doctors puzzled by religious immigrants’ attitude toward euthanasia
Patients sometimes refuse morphine, fearing that doctors will kill them. Dr Maria van den Muijsenbergh Dutch doctors who are accustomed to offering sick patients...
10% of elderly Americans abused, says NEJM
Doctors need to be able to recognise the tell-tale signs of elder abuse Doctors need to be able to recognise the tell-tale signs of elder...
How should the media cover euthanasia?
Do ethical guidelines for suicide apply to activists' campaigns? Because media coverage of suicide could easily lead to copycat suicides, in 2008 the World Health...
Australia’s ‘Dr Death’ forced to stop promoting suicide
Severe conditions placed on Philip Nitschke's registration The world’s foremost promoter of assisted suicide and euthanasia, Australia’s Dr Philip Nitschke, has agreed to cease his...
French doctor convicted of euthanasia death
Trial of Nicolas Bonnemaison sparks controversy Nicolas Bonnemaison with his wife on October 24 A 54-year-old doctor has been deregistered and convicted of killing...
Not enough doctors to staff Belgium’s euthanasia commission
Belgium’s Federal Evaluation and Control Commission for Euthanasia has lost its mandate after failing to find replacements for vacancies on its executive committee. Belgium’s Federal...
Supervision of euthanasia breaking down in Belgium
The theme of control is at the heart of debates about assisted suicide and euthanasia. For the patients, it’s control of their own lives. For...
Doctors must withdraw life support from twins – UK judge
A UK High Court has ruled that two severely intellectually disabled Iraqi twins must have their life support switched off, despite objection from their parents....
Spanish girl at centre of futile care controversy dies
Hospital faces off against parents in ethical conflictAndrea's parents, Antonio Lago and Estela Ordoñez A right-to-die case which has riveted Spain ended on October 9...
Why not non-voluntary euthanasia for psychiatric patients?
In Belgium and the Netherlands, it is now possible for patients with psychiatric disorders to request euthanasia. But what if a patient’s mental illness is...