French Euthanasia Proposal Dead for Now

Mr. Schadenberg at European Parliament

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. (Pictured here).

The European Parliament held their elections from June 6 to June 9, 2024 resulting in a shift in the balance of power. It appears that the European Parliament will likely have more of a  conservative focus over the next few years.

In response to the European election results and the shift in european politics, French President, Emmanuel Macron, on June 10 called a snap election with his hope of catching conservative political parties off-guard. The election will be on June 29 - 30 and the second tier on July 6 - 7.

Colorado Governor Signs Bill Reducing Patient Protections

Governor Polis (pictured here) signed SB068, an amendment to Colorado’s End of Life Options Act (assisted suicide and euthanasia) into law on June 5, 2024. 

The bill reduces the waiting period for patients seeking an aid-in-dying prescription (assisted suicide and euthanasia), from 15 to 7 days, increases the number of practitioners who can participate in the law, and allows providers to waive the waiting period if the patient is not likely to survive more than 48 hours and meets all other qualifications. 

Nearly Every US State That Has Legalized Assisted Suicide, Has Expanded Its Law

By Alex Schadenberg (pictured here)

In 2019 Oregon expanded their assisted suicide law by giving doctors the ability to waive the 15 day waiting period when a person was deemed near to death. In 2023 Oregon removed the residency requirement extending assisted suicide nationally to anyone.

In 2021 California expanded their assisted suicide law by reducing the waiting period from 15 days to 48 hours. It forced doctors who oppose assisted suicide to be complicit in the process (later struck down by the court), and it forced all medical institutions to post their policy on assisted suicide.

New York Act Fails to Advance

The proposed Medical Aid in Dying Act, which had sought to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in New York State, was first introduced in the New York State Senate by former Staten Island Sen. Diane Savino, — and in the Assembly by Westchester County Assembly member Amy Paulin, — during the 2015-2016 legislative session. 

The legislation has never advanced past the committee state in either the Senate or Assembly.

Letter to the Editor: Euphemisms Abound

To the Editor:

We wish to respond to Dr. Barry Perlman’s letter to the editor: “A vote for Medical Aid in Dying is not a vote for suicide” (May 28, 2024) He presents his case well. However, we take issue with his reasoning.

Euphemisms abound about this subject: physician-assisted suicide, death with dignity and physician-assisted dying. No matter how the concept is dressed up, it is suicide by the patient and murder by the doctor. Whoever else has been directly or indirectly involved in the demise of the patient are accessories.

Netherlands Grapples With Complex Debate on Broadening Euthanasia Law

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/focus/20240608-netherlands-grapples-with-complex-debate-on-broadening-euthanasia-law

By:Alix LE BOURDON|Fernande VAN TETS

The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia back in 2001. More than 20 years later, the practice is almost universally accepted in Dutch society to end the lives of those who are physically suffering. But its use remains more restricted for psychiatric cases who say they, too, meet the legal requirement of unbearable suffering. Today, some would like to see the law evolve to include the possibility to end one's life even without a medical need to do so. Our correspondents Fernande van Tets and Alix Le Bourdon report.