Victoria’s euthanasia laws are under review, but the possibility of doctors initiating conversations with terminally ill patients about voluntary assisted dying is not on the table. This decision has sparked criticism from advocates who believe it’s a missed opportunity for reform.
The review will focus on the operation of the laws, rather than changes to the legal framework. Advocates have been pushing for changes, including scrapping the gag clause that prevents doctors from starting conversations with patients and expanding the scheme to people with dementia.
Jane Morris, the president of Dying with Dignity, expressed disappointment with the review, stating that it fails to address the main concerns raised by her organization. These concerns include the gag clause and the requirement for patients to have a prognosis of death within six months or one year for neurodegenerative diseases.
The laws currently prohibit doctors from initiating conversations about voluntary assisted dying with terminally ill patients, as a safeguard to prevent coercion. However, some advocates argue that these safeguards have become barriers for people to access VAD.
Nick Carr, a Melbourne doctor who has assisted 60 people in legally ending their lives, hopes that the review will provide an opportunity to examine the operation of the laws and the substance of the act itself. He believes that the gag clause prevents people from marginalized backgrounds from gaining access to VAD.
In November, Carr lost a legal challenge in the federal court against the commonwealth over its law banning discussions about suicide over the phone.
2024-02-04 01:11:27
Source from www.theguardian.com