Assisted Dying debate: How does the rest of the world compare?

National World - LocalTV

Countries worldwide approach assisted dying with varying laws, from strict criteria in the USA to broader eligibility in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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00:00As the UK considers the legalisation of assisted dying, it's worth exploring how the practice

00:06is handled in other parts of the world.

00:09In the United States, assisted dying is legal in 10 states and also Washington DC. Oregon,

00:15a pioneer since 1997, allows terminally ill, mentally competent adults with less than six

00:23months to live to self-administer lethal medication prescribed by doctors. While 4,274 prescriptions

00:33have been issued in Oregon, around a third are not used. Advocates highlight the system's

00:39safeguards but critics note the removal of a residency requirement.

00:45Canada's assisted dying laws, introduced in 2016, have expanded from the terminally ill

00:51to those suffering unbearably from irreversible illnesses. This has sparked controversy with

00:58critics warning of risks to vulnerable people. Currently, 4% of all deaths in Canada are

01:05medically assisted.

01:07In Europe, six countries permit assisted dying, often with broader eligibility than proposed

01:14in the UK. Switzerland allows foreign nationals to access its services, while the Netherlands

01:20and Belgium extend eligibility to children.

01:24Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand have recently legalised voluntary assisted dying,

01:31with varying requirements for terminal illness.

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