The Euthanasia

Definiton: it refers to the practice of ending a life in a manner which relieves pain and suffering.

Euthanasia : decided by a doctor for/with the patient

Assisted Suicide : the patient takes the decision, and can be executed with whoever who help him to die

Most states don't recognize or forbid euthanasia and other forms of assisted suicide, but it's tolarated with clear conditions, especially in Europe and in North America.

Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington and Montana.

United Kingdom

Euthanasia is illegal in the United Kingdom. It is considered as a murder and punishable by 14 years imprisonement. Any person found to be assisting suicide is breaking the law and can be convicted of assisting suicide or attempting to do so (e.g. if a doctor gives a patient in great pain a bottle of morphine to take (to commit suicide) when the pain gets too great). However, contradictory decisions of justice were taken.

Although two-thirds of Britons think it should be legal, in 2004 the 'Assisted Dying for the Terminally-Ill Bill' was rejected in the House of Commons. Currently, Dr Nigel Cox is the only British doctor to have been convicted of attempted euthanasia. He was given a 12 month suspended sentence in 1992. The principle of double effect is however firmly established. In 1957 Judge Devlin in the trial of Dr John Bodkin Adams ruled that causing death through the administration of lethal drugs to a patient, if the intention is solely to alleviate pain, is not considered murder even if death is a potential or even likely outcome.

United States

Euthanasia is illegal in most of the United States. Patients retain the rights to refuse medical treatment and to receive appropriate management of pain at their request (passive euthanasia), even if the patients' choices hasten (précipiter) their deaths. Additionally, futile or disproportionately burdensome (lourds) treatments, such as life-support machines, may be withdrawn (retirés) under specified circumstances.

While euthanasia is illegal throughout the US, assisted suicide is legal in three states: Oregon, Washington and Montana.

For instance (par exemple), Oregon requires a physician (médecin) to prescribe medication but it must be self-administered. The prognosis must be for a life span of 6 months or less. The person must be a 'resident' of Oregon. A written request for prescription and two oral requests from the patient are also needed to escape criminal liability, plus written confirmation by doctor that the act is voluntary and informed

When Sue Rodriguez was diagnosed with a fatal sick, she fought to have a legal right to assisted suicide; she said to the Supreme Court of Canada “Whose body is this? Who owns my life?”

In 1994, she decided to take her own life with the help of an anonymous physician.

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