Law change needed to stop clandestine assisted deaths, says Belgian euthanasia expert – Stuff.co.nz

MIKE WATSON

Last updated10:34, May 30 2017

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Professor Jan Berheim is a Belgian medical expert and euthanasia advocate. He was invited to New Zealand by the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. Key words: euthanasia, assisted dying

Uncontrolled, clandestine euthanasia practices to helpthe terminally ill to die could be avoided if New Zealand legislated tocontrol physician assisted dying, aBelgian medical expert says.

Professor Jan Bernheim, an oncologist and founder of 'Not Necessarily Terminal', addressed a meeting in New Plymouth on Monday night attendedby around 40 people.

His was the first palliative care organisation outside the UK. It pressed for law change in Belgium 15 years ago toallowphysicians to assist irreversibly suffering patients wanting to die.

New Plymouthwas the second of eightmeetings he will talk atduring the next three weeksas a guest ofthe Voluntary Euthanasia Societyfor a series of nationwide public talksentitled 'Dying Well in Belgium'.

READ MORE: * Euthanasiagaining momentum internationally, but in NZ cabinet * Legalising euthanasia not a priority for labour, says Andrew Little * Police admit to using checkpoint to target euthanasiameeting attendees

"New Zealand studies show that euthanasia is practised here in the dark, as it was in Belgium before the law change in 2002," he said.

"It is uncontrolled and liable to abuse.

"In Belgium we've put an end to the clandestine practice, and because of the openness of the whole process, abuse of the dying patient is much less probable now that it is legalised with strict controls and peer review in place."

The law also protectedcaregivers from undue prosecution.

Before the law changed in Belgium, dying patients who requested euthanasia with the knowledge of their families or nursing staff were less likely to get it because doctors were worried they could be charged with murder if someone who knew about the request objected to euthanasia, he said.

Ironically, before the law, dying patients with intractable suffering who did not requesteuthanasia were more likely to get their suffering shortened paternalistically by doctors.

The legislation put an end to this sad paradox, he said.

New Zealandshould not be afraid of changing the law to regulate euthanasia, he said.

"Those who object to it for personal religious or philosophical reasons will be respected, but should not impose their views on others."

There would be strict controls in place and that the best control is openness, allowing peer review and control, he said.

"Those who choose voluntary euthanasia have to be of sound mind, not coerced, beyond effective further medical help, repeatedly ask for assistance to die, and have at least two physicians' consent.

"Each case must be reported for review by an expert independent controlling body."

Both Netherlands and Canada has similar laws to Belgium whereeuthanasia was embedded in palliative care.

Belgian reliedmainly on palliative care teams to administer euthanasia wherethere were 74 per cent of physician-assisted deaths, he said.

"It does not cause a wave of deaths.

"It is for those who are already dying."

Voluntary euthanasia in Belgium wasjust 4 per cent, or 2000of all deaths each year.

"As many people say, we do this for our pets when they are terminally ill.

"When people are suffering unbearably it is what any good physician would do."

Bernheim saidsome of the religious groups in Belgium had come around to the law change after initial concerns.

'The Catholic order of congregation who run psychiatric care for a long time refused to allow euthanasia as part of their doctrine they have now adopted it, seeing how the model works."

Bernheim said Prime MinisterBill English, a Catholic, can havea serious look at what his brethren in Belgium do.

"Ithink he might see that this is compatible with modern Catholicism."

Voluntary Euthanasia Societypresident Maryan Street has set up an additional series of meetings to help health professionals understand the ramifications and how it works in Belgium.

-Taranaki Daily News

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Law change needed to stop clandestine assisted deaths, says Belgian euthanasia expert - Stuff.co.nz