Exposé d'anglais sur l'euthanasie

NETHERLANDS

Netherlands is the first european country in 2001 who has legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The doctor is central to the process, and he has to be convaince that there is no other reasonable solution for the patient.

The ministry of health, well-being and sport avow that he « allow any person to end his life with dignity after receiving every available types of palliative care »

The decree became effective in April the first of 2002. The law was proposed by Els Borst, minister of health from the social-liberal poltical party.

The law says that, they will be no further accusation towards doctors who had practiced euthanasia if the patient was in the following case :

• Unbearable suffering, with no chance of improvement
• Supported request from the patient himself
• The patient must be fully informed of his condition and any possibilities of treatment
• An independant doctor must verify that the previous criteria are filled
• That the provocated death is medicaly appropriate and given by the doctor or the patient himself
• If the patient is under 18 he must have the consent of his parents between 12 and 16

Euthanasia is considered as a crime if she is practiced without sticking by the previous law unless in the following circumstances :

• By suspending or not starting a treatment who will be useless
• ‘’ at the patient’s request
• If death is the result of the adminitration of the treatment against unbearable suffering

Euthanasia in Netherlands in a few numbers :

In 2003, 1626 cases were identified or 1,2% of death

In 2013, 4829 cases or 2,8% of death and 5 cases identified as illegal

According to The Journal of Medical Ethics (dutch journal) 86% of dutch doctors are willing to practice euthansia or assisted suicide

Most of Euthanasia cases are resulting from Cancer, so must of euthanasia are practiced at the patient’s home.

A study was made by the CBS the cetral office of dutcj informations over 649 cases, over them :

• 14% had complications (coming back from coma) for euthanasia
• 32% had complications and 18% of them had resorted to active euthanasia for assisted suicide
• Doctors were absent in 28% of the cases of euthanasia
• ‘’ in 48% of the cases of assisted suicide

Now in 2015, doctors in netherlands wants to allow children under 12 yo to be able to have resort to enthanasia. In Chilli, Valentina Maureira asked the president to be able to end her life which created a process for children named «  Groening » but in europe only the Belgium has allowed the euthanasia young children.

Finally, some person think that euthanasia is an obstacle of the developpement of palliative care.

Indeed, Els Brost which is the minister that made the law effective in 2002 said that the law came in way too soon and that the palliative care have suffured from it.

PORTUGAL

In Portugal euthanasia and assisted suicide are forbidden, indeed they’re considered as homicide and they’re punish by the law, otherwise the ethical council allow for some desesperate cases the right to suspend the haviest treatement, nonetheless the patient can’t stop hydrating and feeding himself.

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