Category Archives: Euthanasia

Over several decades, the Oakland County Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center is following a national trend toward euthanizing less animals brought in.

Bob Gatt, director of the shelter, says that the facility hovers at about a 90-percent no-kill rate, a number that is looked upon favorably in the industry.

Gatt says there are several factors in the trend in Oakland County toward lower euthanasia rates:

There is no time limit on how long an adoptable pet can stay in the shelter awaiting a new home, a change from decades ago. Weve had animals in here for over a year, he says.

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There is better education about having pets spayed and neutered, resulting in less unwanted litters of puppies and kittens, Gatt said.

More prospective pet owners are aware of the option of adopting a dog or cat from a shelter, he said.

According to some estimates, animal shelters nationwide killed as many as 20 million cats and dogs annually in the 1970s. That had fallen to 2.6 million by 2011 and to 1.5 million currently, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The Oakland County shelter handles 4,000 to 5,000 animals per year. Generally, only those deemed unadoptable are euthanized. Unadoptable animals are seriously ill or injured without a reasonable hope of improving, deemed vicious or have traits that make them unsuitable to be pets, Gatt said.

The shelter, at 1700 Brown Road in Auburn Hills, employs several full-time veterinary technicians and part-time veterinarians. Animals brought in sick or injured are treated on site whenever possible or sent out to a veterinarian for treatment if no staff member is available.

Animals rights groups consistently question the shelters euthanasia figures, but Gatt says those groups are an important factor in the decrease in animals being put down.

Over the years, the groups have brought awareness to more humane treatment of animals.

Even the ones who dont like me, I applaud them, Gatt said.

A new state-of-the-art shelter is to open this summer in the Oakland County municipal complex at Telegraph and Pontiac Lake roads.

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Oakland County animal shelter's decreasing euthanasia rates mirror national trend - The Daily Tribune

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Shelter officials are seeking homes for 11 dogs with treatable conditions that otherwise will be euthanized next week.

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Sun-News Reports , . 3:40 p.m. MT June 6, 2017

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Doa Ana County-Las Cruces shelter officials are seeking homes for 11 dogs with treatable conditions that otherwise will be euthanized. Some of the adoptable dogs are seen here.(Photo: Courtesy)

LAS CRUCES - Shelter officials are seeking homes for 11 dogs with treatable conditions that otherwise will be euthanized next week.

Shelter officials said they won't hold the dogs past June 14, roughly one week from now.

Three of the dogs are heartworm-positive, while eight areEhrlichiaAnaplasmosis-positive.

"Understand that we testall dogs(for these illnesses) before adoption or a transfer toanother adoption agency,which is whyeverymonthwe have these positive dogs to find assistance with," said shelter Executive Director Beth Vesco-Mock. "Thesedogs are otherwiseextremely healthyand are extremelybehaviorallysound."

Adoption fees will be waived for the dogs, which have tended to be more difficult to adopt out because of their conditions.

"If anyone is interested in these awesome animals,I would encourage you to consult withyourveterinarian for treatment options," Vesco-Mock said. "Then, if still interested, please stop in the ASCMV at 3551 Bataan Memorial West and meet your new family pet."

To find out how to adopt one of the dogs,call the ASCMV or stop in at the shelter, 3551 Bataan Memorial West in Las Cruces. Information: 575-382-0018.

Shelter officials said the high numbers ofheartworm- andEhrlichiaAnaplasmosis-positive dogs at the facility show that the diseasesare prevalent in Doa Ana County. They encouraged pet owners to get their pets on preventative regimens to reduce the risk of heartworm infection. Also, pet owners can attempt to reduce animals' exposure to ticks, which spread Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis.

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11 'awesome' dogs face euthanasia - Las Cruces Sun-News

Tuesday, 6 June 2017, 5:35 pm Press Release: Right To Life

Belgian Doctor Advocate for Culture of Death Descends on New Zealand

MEDIA RELEASE JUNE 3 2017

Right to Life believes that the community should be wary of doctors who are prepared to kill their patients as a treatment option.A pro euthanasia group has sought the urgent help of retired Belgium Professor Jan Bernheim to address meetings Right to Life believes have been hurriedly arranged in New Zealand to promote the Belgium model of euthanasia. Right to Life believes that the community should be concerned that this speaking tour is disrespectful of our Parliamentary democracy. It is thought that the presence of this advocate for a culture of death is intended to undermine the medical profession in New Zealand and to influence the Parliamentary Health Select Committee which is, at this time finalizing its report to Parliament. The pro-death group is well aware that 77 per cent of the 21,435 submissions are strongly opposed to the law being changed to allow the strong to kill the weak. This opposition is also reflected in the 1,800 oral submissions. We believe that it is his intention to attempt to generate public support for the Belgian model of euthanasia, in opposition to the anticipated report of the Committee.

The community should be aware that Professor Bernheim is in violation of the ethics of the medical profession which he swore to uphold at the time of his graduation, specifically to have the utmost respect for life. The World Medical Association in 2013 declared;

Physicians-assisted suicide, like euthanasia, is unethical and must be condemned by the medical profession. Where the assistance of the physician is intentionally and deliberately directed at enabling an individual to end his or her own life, the physician acts unethically. However the right to decline medical treatment is a basic right of the patient and the physician does not act unethically even if respecting such a wish results in the death of the patient.

This professor claims that New Zealand should follow the Belgium model of euthanasia. There are two studies from the Flanders region of Belgium that display a rampant disregard for the law. In 2007, a study found that 32 percent of assisted deaths were performed without any request and that 47 percent of all assisted deaths were not reported. (See footnote 1) A further study in 2013 revealed that two percent of all deaths were hastened without an explicit request and that 40 percent of hastened deaths were not reported. There has been in Belgium a 500 percent increase in euthanasia in 10 years.

Arguments for euthanasia are founded on terminally ill patients being in intolerable pain. The lie to this is given by the fact that people in Belgium have been killed by a doctor in Belgium for diagnoses that include; depression, fatigue, autism and anorexia.

Assisting in suicide and homicide are serious crimes in the Crimes Act under which laws are in place for the protection of the most vulnerable ,members of our community, the aged, the disabled and the seriously ill. We change these laws at our peril.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson,

Right to Life

Footnote 1 Physician-assisted deaths under the euthanasia law in Belgium: a population-based survey. Chambaere K, Bilsen J, Cohen J, Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD, Mortier F, Deliens L CMAJ. 2010 Jun 15; 182(9):895-901. [PubMed] [Ref list]

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Belgian Doctor Euthanasia Advocate Descends on NZ - Scoop.co.nz (press release)

A horse seriously injured in a May 28 race at Randall Doc James Racetrack on St. Croix was not euthanized until the following morning, people familiar with the animals death said.

About seven heats were held at the racetrack on Sunday, said Tony Felix Sr., president of the Flamboyant Park Horsemen Association. In all, two horses were injured. The other injured horse was not euthanized, Felix said.

V.I. Director of Veterinary Services Bethany Bradford said she was called in Monday to euthanize the other horse, more than 20 hours after the injury. While V.I. horse racing statutes dont currently require a veterinarian to be present for races, ethical norms and industry best practices generally dictate that an equine veterinarian a veterinarian with experience or familiarity with horses be present.

Asked whether a horse race without a veterinarian was legal, Bradford hesitated.

Thats a really loaded question, she said. The racing commission is the one who organizes the race. Then the promoter plays a role.

Delays in euthanasia for horses injured at race tracks arent necessarily evidence that a veterinarian wasnt present, territorial veterinarians said. Sometimes a delay can result while veterinarians examine whether euthanizing the horse is necessary, since the extent of the animals injuries isnt always immediately apparent.

Bradford suggested animal cruelty statutes could apply to situations where horses werent euthanized in a timely fashion. V.I. Code Title 14 Chapter 7 describes the various crimes related to plants and animals. Section 183, first-degree animal neglect, includes allowing an animal, including one who is aged, diseased, maimed, hopelessly sick, disabled, or nonambulatory to suffer torture or unnecessary neglect or pain.

The penalty on conviction is a fine of up to $3,000 and 500 hours of community service. Courts may also require animal counseling upon a conviction, according to the statute.

However, it wasnt clear from the statutes whether the horses owner, the promoter, or the horse-racing commission would ultimately be liable, Bradford said.

Its a gray area, she said.

While veterinary ethics require a horse doctor be present for races, nothing in the territorial Code currently requires it.

Horse racing statutes could be heavily revised in the coming months. A package of legislative changes related to anti-doping statutes, and legally requiring the presence of a licensed veterinarian prior to the start of any race, is currently working its way through the Legislature. Gov. Kenneth Mapp called a special session of the legislature on May 10, and included horseracing reform among the bills he wanted addressed. Senators ultimately referred the bills to committee.

Bradford primarily manages infection monitoring and control for livestock and other large animals, which can extend to horses in an agricultural setting. Territorial veterinarians have sometimes overseen the races veterinarians generally participate in the saddling of the horses and monitor the horses placement in the gates as a precaution, in addition to euthanasia but Bradford said she no longer oversees the races because she cant spare the time.

Laura Palminteri is another veterinarian who works with horses, and splits her time between St. Thomas, St. John and the British Virgin Islands. She said no equine veterinarians currently practice on St. Croix.

She says shes sometimes called in to practice on St. Thomas, though she isnt always available because she travels among multiple islands.

There is a shortage of equine veterinarians in the territory, Palminteri said.

Part of the reason is economic, Palminteri said. The territory doesnt have enough horses to support a full-time horse doctor, meaning anyone who comes in must also take up small animal or exotic pet practice to make a living, or be subsidized by the government, or maintain a separate full-time job.

Theres not enough work for a full-time equine veterinarian, she said.

Races were also held at the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack on St. Thomas on May 28, said Clinton Hedrington Jr, president of the St. Thomas-St. John Horsemens Association. For the Phipps racetrack, the formula is clear, Hedrington said.

Our commission is very strict about the vets, he said. If there isnt a vet, we dont run.

At the St. Thomas track, the veterinarian present is generally Jane Reynolds, owner of the Veterinary Centers of the V.I., Hedrington said. The Association generally checks seven to 10 days before any race to see if shes available. When local veterinarians arent available, theyll sometimes fly a vet in from Puerto Rico, Hedrington said. The local veterinary board grants a vet certified in another state a one-day licensure.

Felixs attitude was a little more cavalier. The James racetrack has generally had a veterinarian present, apart from the May 28 race, Felix said.

That one is rough, he said. Weve always had a vet on the track.

Felix directed questions about why the races were allowed to continue anyway to Wayne Biggs Jr., the current chairman of the St. Croix Horseracing Commission.

Biggs did not return a phone call to his cell phone Friday afternoon.

Excerpt from:

Horse euthanasia raises question about St. Croix races - Virgin Islands Daily News

The Australian state of Tasmania has rejected a Bill to legalise euthanasia.

The legislation was defeated by 16 votes to 8 in the lower house of the Tasmanian Parliament.

It marks the third time in ten years that a euthanasia Bill has been defeated in the state.

The legislation would have allowed an adult deemed to have a serious incurable and irreversible medical condition access to lethal drugs to end their own life, or allow a doctor to administer the drugs.

Tasmania health minister Michael Ferguson said it attempted to remove protections safeguarding the sanctity of life.

This is in fact a dangerous bill that will in fact create a different group of cruel tragedies.

Weve said every suicide is too many yet before us is a bill that would sanction suicide, he added.

Speaking against the Bill, Paul Russell from HOPE: No Euthanasia said: This is a resounding affirmation that Tasmanian society takes a dim view of doctors helping people to suicide. Other Australian states should take note.

Daniel Pask, a disability activist with Lives Worth Living, also opposed the Bill, which he says posed a real threat.

Pask, who has spina bifida, added that it sent a terrible message to people with disabilities, whose basic needs and human rights often still go unmet, that our lives are not worth living.

Liz Carr, a disabled actress and activist for Not Dead Yet UK, recorded a message for Tasmania before the vote took place, and warned that the Bill would have exposed many to great risk.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide remain illegal in the UK.

Under the law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, a person who intentionally encourages or assists the suicide or attempted suicide of another person, commits an offence which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

A Bill to legalise assisted suicide was resoundingly defeated in the House of Commons in 2015 by 330 votes to 118.

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Euthanasia Bill struck down in Tasmania - The Christian Institute

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (ChurchMilitant.com) - Despite 78 percent of New Zealanders supporting a ban on euthanasia, pro-euthanasia groups are touring the country to promote their lethal legislative agenda.

Lawmakers are considering the End of Life Options Bill, introduced by Maryan Street, president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. It is modeled after the 2002 Belgian law designed to include non-terminal patients and the mentally ill.

JanBerheim, a Belgian euthanasia proponent and founder of Not Necessarily Terminal, is currently on apublic speaking tourin New Zealand, warning lawmakers not to include "redundant safeguards."

In advance of introduction of the bill, the government has required the Health Select Committee to investigate the public's opinion of the proposed euthanasia legislation. The investigation has been ongoing for two years, with the committee obtaining over 21,000 written and video submissions from New Zealanders; 1,800 people want to speak directly to Parliament about the law.

Proponents of legalizing euthanasia were quick to promote the idea that the high numbers of submissions were in support of legalization, with Street claiming in 2016that "the Health Select Committee received a record 21,533 submissions on the issue, indicating intense public interest in a potential law change."

In a press release from August 2016, Dr. Jane Silloway Smith, who analyzed the submissions, found 16,411 opposed repealing the ban on euthanasia. Smith reported, "Maryan Street and the Voluntary Euthanasia Society wanted to know New Zealanders' views on legalizing assisted suicide, and the people have spoken at a ratio of about 3:1. They have told Parliament not to legalize assisted suicide."

Smith continues, "The very clear ratio against a change in the current law, alongside the high number of total submissions, shows that there is a strong public political will opposed to assisted suicide."

The 16,000 Voices initiative, launched on March 8 by Smith, showcases nine video submissions and numerous written testimonials. Each video has different perspectives on why citizens are opposed. "It's actually many, many arguments for why people are uncomfortable with this idea or [are] outright opposed to euthanasia," Smith relates.

An independent research firm'sfull analysiswas released this May, illustrating that the majority of the submissions were not religiously motivated. This refutes the claim that the submissions were one-line statementsand not well-thought out. It concluded that 44 percent were between two lines and a page long. Even if all one-line responses were discounted, the ratio would be similar and still support the current ban.

In his speaking tour titled "Dying Well in Belgium," Berheim is claiming hastening death by continual deep sedation and "waiting for nature" are not suitable options, because if patients were still given fluids, it could take weeks for them to die. "The patient does not suffer but I can tell you the family suffers," he comments.

"InBelgium, 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 legalized with strict controls and peer review in place," he explains.

Belgiumhas the most permissive laws on assisted suicide, allowing anyone for almost any reason to be killed.This includes children.

Alex Schadenberg,International Chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, is claiming Berheim is misrepresenting the facts about problems and abuses of the law. Shadenberg points to two studies from the Flanders region of Belgium that show a rampant disregard for the law. In 2007, the study found that 32 percent of assisted deaths were performed without any request and that 47 percent of all assisted deaths were not reported.

A 2013 study in the same area showed nearly two percent of all deaths were hastened without an explicit request and that 40 percent of hastened deaths were not reported.

Berheimnow says the number of deaths by assisted suicide is at 4 percent. He also said the Catholic order the Brothers of Charity are allowing it in their psychiatric hospitals, claiming "they have now adopted it, seeing how the model works."

This claim is based on an April statement posted by the lay-led board of directors on the order's website, claiming they will allow the practice in their hospitals for the mentally challenged. Rene Stockman, superior general of the order, has come out publicly stating killing patients in their facilities will not be allowed. After lodging a formal complaint with the Vatican, Secretary of State Cdl.Pietro Parolin launchedan investigation, which is ongoing.

The Voluntary Euthanasia Society is setting up a series of meetings throughout New Zealand to promote legalization of euthanasia to doctors and health care professionals.

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New Zealand: Public Wants to Keep Ban on Euthanasia - Church Militant

ANI | Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India] June 2, 2017 Last Updated at 16:07 IST

A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking euthanasia for her daughter Anamika Mishra who is suffering from Muscular Dystrophy Disease.

They are residing in Yashodanagar of Kanpur.

Both have lost the hope to fight this disease, therefore, they are demanding death wish from Prime Minister Modi.

Anamika's father lost his life because of this disease.

Now, due to this disease and poor financial condition, the mother--Shashi Mishra has demanded euthanasia for her daughter.

Some social workers have come forward to help the duo, but as there is no proper treatment in India, they are only able to provide financial help to this family.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

A woman from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking euthanasia for her daughter Anamika Mishra who is suffering from Muscular Dystrophy Disease.

They are residing in Yashodanagar of Kanpur.

Both have lost the hope to fight this disease, therefore, they are demanding death wish from Prime Minister Modi.

Anamika's father lost his life because of this disease.

Now, due to this disease and poor financial condition, the mother--Shashi Mishra has demanded euthanasia for her daughter.

Some social workers have come forward to help the duo, but as there is no proper treatment in India, they are only able to provide financial help to this family.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

ANI

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UP: Mother seeks 'euthanasia' for daughter from PM Modi - Business Standard

Bob Seely, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for the Isle of Wight, has made clear that he is opposed to any relaxation or change in the existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide.

This comes after last weeks hustings event, at which he was the only parliamentary candidate on the Isle of Wight to express such an unambiguous view: telling the audience that he would emphatically oppose any change in the law. In contrast, the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green candidates all supported a change to allow what they call assisted dying, whereas the UKIP and Independent candidates sat on the fence. Bob is now urging the other candidates to look at the Care Not Killing website and consider changing their stance.

Speaking after the debate, Bob said:

I strongly oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide. I do not believe it is something that we should be supporting or welcoming on the Island.

Firstly, I think the term dignity in dying used by some people supporting euthanasia is highly misleading. It is a manipulative use of language to hide the reality that such a change in the law would legally allow people to help others to terminate their lives before their natural end.

Secondly, we already have a legal, ethical and caring version of assisted dying in the palliative care pathways that hospices and other organisations offer. These pathways have been developed over years of experience and care by experts dedicated to treating with sensitivity and kindness those people nearing the end of life.

Thirdly, I believe that allowing any form of assisted suicide is a slippery slope to a generalised acceptance of euthanasia. The reality is that laws in Holland and elsewhere that were meant to apply to terminally ill adults of sound mind are being extended to larger sections of the population. This is simply wrong.

A change in the law would place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others. This would especially affect people who are disabled, elderly, sick or depressed. We need to care for all those that are living, not create a climate which indirectly pressures them to end their existence.

In response to the stance taken by other candidates, Bob added:

I was disappointed to be in a minority of one on this life-and-death issue at last weeks hustings. When it was most recently voted on in the House of Commons in 2015, the clear majority (330 to 118 votes) opposition to a change in the law came from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, SNP and other MPs including a majority of Conservative and Labour MPs who voted.

This issue is too important for party politics, and I had hoped to see a greater consensus amongst the Islands parliamentary candidates last Thursday. I would strongly encourage the other candidates to read the persuasive case set out on the Care Not Killing website and reflect on whether they wish to change their stance.

Bob has highlighted a contribution made in the 2015 debate by Dr Philippa Whitford, an SNP MP, who was a breast cancer surgeon for 30 years. She said:

I believe that this is not just a tidying up of a small legal anomaly. It is, rather, a crossing of a Rubicon, as was mentioned earlier. It is changing and legalising the killing of one person by another, regardless of the reasons why we would want to carry that out.

We should support palliative care and we must ensure that it is available to people who are dying, regardless of their illness. We need to change our tone towards the people who live in our society, so that old and vulnerable people no longer feel that they should get out of the way.

Bob added:

I agree with every word that Dr Whitford has said on this matter, and if elected I would work with politicians of all parties to oppose any relaxation in the current law on euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Excerpt from:

CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE REAFFIRMS STRONG OPPOSITION ... - Island Echo

Press Release Euthanasia Free NZ

Members of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society claim in a NZMJ paper that 37% of doctors and 67% of nurses support assisted dying, that is, legal voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. Two-thirds of doctors oppose assisted dying according to slammed survey

Members of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society claim in a NZMJ paper that 37% of doctors and 67% of nurses support assisted dying, that is, legal voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide.

I am skeptical of self-selected online surveys with relatively small sample sizes, with questions based on euphemisms such as assisted dying, says Rene Joubert, executive officer of Euthanasia-Free NZ. The term assisted dying is vague enough to mean different things to different people.

This particular study, the subject of a 2016 TVNZ story, did not even verify that respondents were indeed New Zealand medical professionals or prevent a respondent from completing the survey multiple times. In the May 2016 NZMJ paper on the same study the researchers disclosed that four days of responses were removed due to notice of two faked responses by a TVNZ journalist.

For all we know, the study may have been rigged by Voluntary Euthanasia Society members, says Ms Joubert.

The studys many flaws were analysed by a group of eight experts.

Much of the new paper seems to consist of pro-euthanasia propaganda, says Ms Joubert.

The authors engage in wishful thinking that assisted dying may be legalised in New Zealand soon, likely based on their own bias as members of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. Any practical and professional support to perform euthanasia or assisted suicide, as recommended by the authors, is ridiculously premature. After extensive media coverage, New Zealanders have clearly expressed their overwhelming opposition to changing the law. Parliaments Health Select Committee received a record number of about 21,435 unique submissions in response to the petition by Maryan Street and 8,974 others.

A full analysis, confirmed by an independent research company, found that 77% of submissions (16,411) are opposed to the legalisation of assisted dying while only 19.5% (4,142 submissions) were in favour.

In January to May 2017 assisted dying bills have been stopped or defeated in eight jurisdictions: In Tasmania, Australia, as well as the US states of Maine, Hawaii, Utah, New Mexico, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Maryland. In several other states, bills were introduced but lacked support to even be debated. The authors presume that under a future New Zealand law both doctors and nurses would be performing euthanasia.

However, there is significant opposition to the medicalisation of assisted dying, the recent article by Ron Jones being a case a point.

A growing list of New Zealand doctors (see doctorssayno.nz) are calling for doctors to be left to focus on healing and providing real care for the dying. They argue that doctors are not necessary for the execution of euthanasia and are drawn into the debate only to provide a cloak of medical legitimacy.

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Two-thirds of doctors oppose 'assisted dying' - Scoop.co.nz

MIKE WATSON

Last updated10:34, May 30 2017

EVENTFINDA

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