[kall]

Originally Posted by lifenews.com

Euthanasia is rampant in New Zealand, according to a study released in the New Zealand Medical Journal.


The study revealed that nearly 700 physicians have admitted to hastening the deaths of terminally ill patients -- even though it is illegal to do so.


Some 693 general practitioners conceded that they had taken part in a physician-assisted death during the last year.


The incidences occurred despite the fact that palliative care was available for the patients.


In a staggering 380 cases, the doctor hastened a patient's death without even talking with the patient first -- an action labeled "legally dubious" by the survey's authors. Dr. Kay Mitchell of the Department of Psychology at Auckland University and British clinical psychology professor Glynn Owens conducted the survey.


The doctors involved said they did not discuss the issue with the patients because the victims were too ill.


However, in 88 cases in which the patient was judged competent by the doctor, there was still no discussion.


Mitchell and Owens stated, "Legal or not, physician-assisted death is an international reality and New Zealand is no exception with such actions occurring in an apparently palliative rich environment."


While hundreds of doctors admitted to hastening death in the anonymous survey, their actions appear to have been cloaked in secrecy. The research team noted that the psychological effect of physician-assisted suicide on the doctors themselves can be profound.


Pro-life advocates have been successful in blocking the legalization of euthanasia in New Zealand, but new attempts to permit such killings have resurfaced.


In August, New Zealand First deputy leader Peter Brown attempted to introduce legislation that would have allowed terminally ill patients to seek assistance in ending their lives.

However, Parliament ultimately defeated the bill.


The hotly-debated issue emerged again when euthanasia advocate Lesley Martin was sentenced to 15 months in jail for the attempted murder of her terminally ill mother.


Martin, who had worked as an intensive care nurse, was found guilty in March of trying to kill her mother Joy by injecting her with 60 mg of morphine.


Joy Martin, who had cancer, died May 28, 1999.


But her daughter's criminal actions did not come to light until three years later, when Lesley Martin published a book, To Die Like a Dog. In it, she confessed to giving morphine to her mother.


In light of the publicity surrounding the Martin case, Brown said he would renew his legislative push to legalize euthanasia in New Zealand. However, pro-life advocates hope that, as palliative care improves, the drive toward euthanasia will lose ground.

Related web sites:
Right to Life New Zealand - http://www.right-to-life.org

Hmm....

[trogg]

Originally Posted by kall

Hmm....

Hmm....

Perhaps we need to have a good look at euthanasia in this country so that medical practitioners have some clear guidelines about the mental state of the paitent.

I suppose the question also needs to be asked about the quality of life and not the quantity... ie if someone is slowly dieing and is in constant pain why should they not be able choose to speed up the end of their life?

[kall]

Originally Posted by trogg

Hmm....

Perhaps we need to have a good look at euthanasia in this country so that medical practitioners have some clear guidelines about the mental state of the paitent.

I suppose the question also needs to be asked about the quality of life and not the quantity... ie if someone is slowly dieing and is in constant pain why should they not be able choose to speed up the end of their life?

I would tend to agree there.

Why keep someone alive when they are in pain, are going to definitely die soon, and there are other people who would benefit from the money being spent keeping this person living?

[Penny]

I have always been of the opinion that if someone makes an informed decision while they are of a mental state of mind, that if such and such a situation should occour that they wish to be put out of their misery, then that should be fine.

However having someone close to me that is currently in a position where they are terminally ill and going further downhill everytime I see her, I can't say I'd want that to hapen to her.

But maybe Its all just a little close to home at the moment to be objective about it. Becuase I wouldn't want her to live with all the pain all the time either. Its quite a catch 22 really.

[Bluey and Aquila]

We know that when my nana was dying from cancer that the Dr was ODing her on the morphine. She had suffered from bowl cancer for over a year, she was no longer functioning and could have lasted 2 maybe 3 weeks in this state. So why let some one hang in there that much longer.

My other Grandmother died in a hospice suffering from Alhzeimers she had 8 strokes and was in the feotal position for nearly 3 years , was spoon fed baby food ( 2-3 tablespoons a meal ) she had no fat on her body and her skin was like cardboard around her bones, she was kept alive for so long as she was income for the hospice. Our Dr told us that if she had been in home care with a Gp visiting she wouldnt have suffered as long as she did.

So It is very common amongst Gps to euthanise paitents, I guess we just hope that they do it for the right reasons and never do it for a persons family for monetary gain etc.

[edshuck]

i have two things and they pull in opposing directions.

My dad died of cancer back about '87. We had not been close until the last 4 months. And when he was gone, I would have liked just a bit more time with him. I think the disservice was the doctors who kept him going. Although they must have known that the race was done.

I live in an area that has suffered through the AIDS epidemic. Everyone knows someone who has died of aids. I personally know 50 to 75. When a person enters the last few months, there is no delay, no repreive.

Trogg is right.

[Sparklechick]

I don't know if I could pull the plug on someone ... always at the back of your mind you'd be wondering if they were the 1 in a million person who recovers from the deadly whatever they may have.

It would be ultra tough.

It's awful watching someone you love die (my cousin died of leukaemia a few years back) and even worse watching them suffer.