Category: Procedures & Services

Spain legalises euthanasia and assisted suicide despite conservative opposition

Euronews

Spain became on Thursday the fifth country in Europe to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia for long-suffering patients of incurable diseases and people with unbearable permanent conditions.

The Spanish parliament’s lower house voted 202-140 with two abstentions on the final passage of the euthanasia bill.

MPs from Spain’s left-wing governing coalition and other parties supported it, while conservative and far-right lawmakers voted against the legislation, vowing to overturn it in the future. . . continue reading

Canada has a new law on medical assistance in dying. Here’s what it means

The Standard

Jacques Gallant

More Canadians will now have access to medical assistance in dying.

The federal government’s Bill C-7, which revamps the country’s assisted dying regime, received royal assent and became law, after the Senate signalled its agreement Wednesday with the House of Commons on the contents of the bill.

“This law will respect the autonomy of Canadians while protecting the vulnerable,” tweeted Justice Minister David Lametti following the Senate vote.

The bill’s passage follows more than a year of bitter debate over medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada. Some have argued that the government’s previous MAiD law did not go far enough and excluded too many people, while others have strenuously denounced C-7 as going too far and sending the message that the lives of people with disabilities have less value. . . continue reading

New Mexico Senate passes medically assisted suicide bill

Associated Press

Cedar Attanasio

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico state Senate has passed a law that would remove criminal and civil liability for medical professionals who assist in the death of terminally ill patients who have chosen to end their life.

The Elizabeth Whitfield End-of-Life Options Act is named for a former New Mexico judge who testified in support for a right to die for the terminally ill in 2017. She died of cancer the following year. . . . continue reading

Court: Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide overruled – Portugal

Portuguese American Journal

Portugal’s Constitutional Court has rejected on Monday a law voted overwhelming by Parliament last month, allowing euthanasia and medically assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. The judges rejected the law in a 7-5 ruling.

Following the Court rule, the law was swiftly vetoed today by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and returned to Parliament. The ruling Socialist Party has already stated that it will reword the legislation and pass it again. . . continue reading

Another team of researchers call for the 14-day limit on embryo experimentation to be scrapped

BioEdge

Michael Cook*

An international team of bioethicists and scientists has advised scrapping the 14-day limit that restricts how long researchers can study human embryos in a dish. Going beyond this policy limit could lead to potential health and fertility benefits, they contend in an article in Science.

This is not a novel suggestion. Scientists and bioethicists have been chafing at the bit for years to extend this widely-accepted limit. This time around, Insoo Hyun, of Case Western Reserve University, and colleagues urge policymakers and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) to consider “a cautious, stepwise approach” to scientific exploration beyond the 14-day limit.

ISSCR is expected to soon release updated guidelines for stem cell and embryo research. . . continue reading