Interested in more news on the Right to Die? ERGO circulates on a regular basis an electronic newslist with news from around the world.
European Division of WFRtDS
Media
Death Bill a possibility
Aug 20, 1970
LEGISLATION allowing voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill may be debated this year in State Parliament.
Supreme Court rules against marijuana use for patients
Aug 20, 1970
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.
Third ‘Remmelink’ Report
Aug 20, 1970
On the 23rd May 2003, Professors Van der Wal and Van der Maas presented their long awaited third report on euthanasia in the Netherlands (also known as the Remmelink report).
UN RIGHTS COMMISSION CONCERNED ABOUT DUTCH EUTHANASIA LAW
Aug 20, 1970
The UN Human Rights Committee expressed fears Friday that new Dutch legislation allowing euthanasia might lead to general insensitivity over so-called mercy killings.
The Quality of Mercy
Aug 20, 1970
On 9th September VES UK published ‘The Quality of Mercy’, a comprehensive review of existing research on assisted dying and physical illness in the UK. ‘The Quality of Mercy’ demonstrates that the UK law has forced assisted dying underground, with the result that vulnerable people are not protected.
British Medical Association -- Physician Assisted Suicide Conference Project
Aug 20, 1970
The web site of the BMA's Physician Assisted Suicide Conference Project was intended to help to set the agenda for a consensus conference. Among other materials, the siteincludes definitions of terminology, and text of some BMA publications and papers on these and other end of life issues.
Edito Sobel
Aug 20, 1970
In issue no. 24 of the Swiss doctors’ bulletin for the month of June, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences presented its first publication on the subject of "Treatment and care of the elderly and dependent" to be consulted by the medical profession. We found several of the points raised in this eleven page document particularly worthy of note.
Chapter 2, regarding the "decision-making process", acknowledges the initial directives and recommends appointing a trusted person as a therapeutic representative.
DIGINITAS digging out from 'avalanche'
Aug 20, 1970
The Swiss euthanasia organization DIGNITAS has recently been obliged to virtually close its doors due to enormous pressure of work. It has received extensive world publicity this year about its euthanasia services, resulting in it being swamped with applications. It has been reduced to sending automatic, formal replies to inquirers. DIGNITAS is based in Forch, close to Zurich.
Australia: Rights of the Terminally Ill Act and associated materials from the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Aug 20, 1970
French Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, Admits Mercy Killings
Aug 20, 1970
BRITISH BROADCASTING CORP - Tuesday, 24 July, 2001
French Health Minister Bernard Kouchner's remarks are expected to spark a debate. The French Health Minister, Bernard Kouchner, has admitted he practised euthanasia when he worked as a doctor.
In an interview with the Dutch weekly magazine Vrij Nederland, Mr Kouchner said he practised mercy killings during the wars in Lebanon and Vietnam, injecting people who he said were suffering too much.
When people were suffering too much pain and I knew in advance they would die, I would help them.