Assisted suicide

The convicted murderer who helps run Exit International

By Dr Angelo Bottone

A pro-euthanasia activist has helped an Irish man struggling with mental health problems to access assisted suicide in Switzerland without the knowledge of the man’s family, the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying has been told. The activist belongs to Exit International, the ultra-radical ‘right to die’ organisation, the committee heard. On Tuesday, Emer Maguire told...

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Make euthanasia available to dementia patients committee told

By Dr Angelo Bottone

Patients with dementia should be offered euthanasia or assisted suicide, the Oireachtas Committee on ‘assisted dying’ has been told. The Committee heard from representatives from End of Life Ireland that “assisted dying” should be introduced not only for those nearing death but also for those with neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, who could be years...

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‘Assisted dying’ against best medical practice leading doctor tells committee

By Dr Angelo Bottone

Doctors were before the Oireachtas Committee on ‘assisted dying’ last week, representing a group in favour, a group fully against, and a group mainly against. It’s important to note that while this gives the impression that doctors are more or less evenly divided on the matter, easily the biggest representative body in attendance, namely the...

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Oireachtas committee hears about Canada’s extreme euthanasia regime

By Dr Angelo Bottone

Doctors and disability rights campaigners have presented the grim reality of the Canadian “Medical Assistance In Dying”(MAID) regime to the Oireachtas committee that is considering the introduction of such legislation in Ireland. In Canada, euthanasia was introduced for the terminally ill only, which is the main proposal currently on offer here, but the ground expanded...

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A clash of worldview at the ‘assisted dying’ hearings

By Dr Angelo Bottone

The Oireachtas committee on ‘assisted dying’ has met three times in the last two weeks. As usual, the hearings offered useful insights into the thinking of both sides of the divide. What follows are some highlights from the meetings. Session One The first session held on Tuesday 3rd October was dedicated to ethics. Dr Thomas...

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Insurance companies could easily offer euthanasia in the future

By Dr Angelo Bottone

The Oireachtas Committee on ‘assisted dying’ continues to hear expert testimony on the matter. Last week it heard from a Dutch academic who was once a supporter but has now turned into a critic. He spoke of how insurance companies in his country are already funding the procedure for one provider, which is a chilling...

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A report from a meeting of pro-‘assisted dying’ leaders

By Dr Angelo Bottone

End of Life Ireland (EOLI), a group campaigning for the legalisation of euthanasia, held a public meeting in Dublin last week to present their views. It was a revealing insight into their objectives and how to get there. The main speaker was Greg Mewett, a palliative care doctor from Australia who believes that patients have...

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Catholic hospitals under pressure to allow ‘assisted dying’

By David Quinn

What Pope John Paul II called ‘the culture of death’ is steadily working its way through our societies and healthcare systems. Yet another example comes from Canada, now the world’s leading exponent of so-called ‘assisted dying’. It involves a Catholic hospital in the city of Vancouver, in British Columbia, which refused to permit a patient...

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Committee hears ‘assisted dying’ should be available to the mentally ill

By Dr Angelo Bottone

The hearing of the Oireachtas committee on the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) in Ireland has probably revealed a lot more of the agenda of some of its proponents than they intended. For example, at one of the sessions, Senator Lynn Ruane suggested that so called “assisted dying” should be offered to those...

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Palliative care doctors warn against permitting assisted suicide

By Dr Angelo Bottone

An Oireachtas Committee is currently meeting to consider whether Ireland should permit assisted suicide for the terminally ill. A key player in the debate, namely the Irish Association for Palliative Care (IAPC), is opposed. There voice is especially important as palliative care doctors deal with patients nearing the end stages of their lives every day....

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