Ed

Media Release – Hospice NZ 4 August 2017
Hospice NZ has welcomed the report of the Health Select Committee’s investigation into the desire to end one’s life, which was tabled in the House earlier this week.
“We support the committee’s comments urging the Government to find ways to raise awareness of the benefits of palliative care and address equity of access and funding across hospital, residential aged care, community services and hospice.”  Says Mary Schumacher, CEO of Hospice NZ.
“We are aware that not all people are aware of or access palliative care services and therefore may not get the support they need at the end of their lives which has been confirmed by the Committee’s report.”
“Death is still a taboo subject in our society, many people fear discuss death and dying, but in reality, it’s a natural part of the life process.   Preparing and expressing your wishes to family can be hugely beneficial.” Said Ms Schumacher.
“The huge number of submissions the Committee received and considered shows the interest and concern for end of life issues that exists in the community as well as the divergence of opinion on this subject.”
Hospice NZ applauds the process and thanks the Committee for the strong endorsement of palliative care services and suggestions to Government.

NewsHub 2 August 2017
Not a single recommendation has been made by Parliament’s health select committee after hearing more than 21,000 submissions on public attitudes toward legalising assisted dying.
Four in five people who contacted the committee during an investigation of public attitudes toward euthanasia legislation were opposed to the idea.
The committee has spent several years investigating public views toward assisted dying for the terminally ill and those with irreversible conditions, based on a petition by former Labour MP Maryan Street.
In a report released on Wednesday the committee, chaired by Simon O’Connor, concluded any decision on the issue would generally be a conscience vote.
Of the 80 percent opposed to legislation that would legalise medically-assisted euthanasia, the report concluded they were primarily concerned about endangering the public.
“They cited concern for vulnerable people, such as the elderly and disabled, those with mental illness, and those susceptible to coercion,” the report says.
“Others argued that life has an innate value and that introducing assisted dying and euthanasia would explicitly undermine that idea.”
READ MORE: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/health/2017/08/no-advice-from-assisted-dying-report.html

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Media Release – Care Alliance 2 August 2017
The Care Alliance has welcomed the report of the Health Select Committee’s investigation into the desire to end one’s life, which was tabled in the House today.
“The Committee received nearly 22,000 unique written submissions and heard nearly 1,000 oral submissions,” said Matthew Jansen, Secretary of the Care Alliance. “While eighty percent of those submissions were opposed to the legalisation of euthanasia, the report is a careful and thorough summary of both sides of the issue.”
“We disagree with some of the language and statements in the Report, especially the use of the euphemistic term ‘assisted dying’. Overall, however, we think it is a useful starting point for discussing the issues. It will make sobering reading for anybody who thinks that legalising euthanasia could ever be safe, simple and straight forward.”
“That is why we too ‘encourage everyone with an interest in the subject to read the report in full’,” said Mr Jansen. “It would also be useful if future public polling asked whether respondents had read the report.”
“We extend our thanks to the Committee’s members and staff for the respectful and considerate way they listened to all voices,” said Mr Jansen. “They have heard powerful personal evidence about how we can and should do better to care for each other.”
ENDS

TVNZ One News 2 August 2017
Family First Comment: “Outweighs”?
Yeah – by 4 to 1.
#gameover
After spending more than two years hearing submissions and public opinions on assisted dying, parliament’s health select committee has released its findings without a single recommendation.
Four in five people who contacted the committee during an investigation of public attitudes toward euthanasia legislation were opposed to the idea.

The report comes as Act leader David Seymour’s End of Life Choices Bill is expected to come before parliament, though it’s unlikely to have its first reading before parliament rises in three weeks ahead of next month’s election.
READ MORE: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kiwis-opposition-euthanasia-outweighs-support-in-select-committee-report

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition 31 July 2017
Family First Comment: Contrary to the rhetoric that you may hear through the media!
“This increase in the number of attempts to legalize assisted suicide is notable due to the fact that such bills have greater than a 99 percent failure rate. Only three have been signed into law in the last 23 years. In spite of the volume of bills introduced this past year, 100 percent of these attempts failed while Alabama tightened their assisted suicide statute.”
www.rejectassistedsuicide.nz
Initial data from a research study by Dr. Jacqueline H. Abernathy at Tarleton State University finds a staggering increase in the number of attempts to legalize assisted suicide in U.S. over the past year, in spite of an overwhelming failure rate associated with such legislation: fewer than one percent of all assisted suicide bills become law.
The analysis, to be presented at the 2017 National Euthanasia Symposium in Toronto on October 28, included all bills introduced in 36 states and the District of Columbia since 1994. Of the 231 total bills, nearly one-fifth (43 bills) were introduced just this year in 26 states and all attempts failed. This increase in the number of attempts to legalize assisted suicide is notable due to the fact that such bills have greater than a 99 percent failure rate. Only three have been signed into law in the last 23 years. In spite of the volume of bills introduced this past year, 100 percent of these attempts failed while Alabama tightened their assisted suicide statute.
Only in the last 4 years have any bills passed the legislative process and of the three, only one, Vermont in 2013, was signed into law following standard legislative procedure. California followed in 2015 by resurrecting a defeated bill in an unrelated special session, where processes are abbreviated and legislation is rushed. Similar can be said of Washington DC that recently passed their ordinance through only a city council vote rather than a bicameral legislature. These victories may explain, in part, the staggering increase in the number of bills introduced in other states.
READ MORE: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/assisted-suicide-legalization-fails-in.html?utm_source=Euthanasia+Prevention+Coalition+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b249d4acda-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_07_31&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_105a5cdd2d-b249d4acda-157142057

Stuff co.nz 30 July 2017
Deeply conservative life insurers could cope with voluntary euthanasia, should it become legal in New Zealand.
But MPs may have to pass laws to ensure insurers always pay up in cases where terminally ill people opt for medical aid to end their suffering.
The fourth attempt at legalising voluntary euthanasia has made headlines, though isn’t now expected to be debated by Parliament until after the September general election.
If it became law, ACT MP David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill would allow terminally ill adults likely to die in the next six months to have willing medical professionals provide them with a drug-induced death.
Under Seymour’s proposed law, people suffering unbearably from an incurable medical condition, would also have the right to an assisted death.
Insurance experts say the advent of voluntary euthanasia wouldn’t create a spike in death claims, though insurers would end up making some payments earlier.
Russell Hutchinson from Chatswood Consulting polled life insurers on how they would respond to assisted death claims, but most refused to answer his questions.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/95073867/insurers-would-pay-assisted-death-claims

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CBC News 25 July 2017
Family First Comment: Yet another disturbing case from Canada!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/doctor-suggested-assisted-suicide-daughter-mother-elson-1.4218669

Daily Mail 28 January 2017
Family First Comment: The Netherlands introduced the euthanasia law 17 years ago, and since then more than 5,500 people have ended their life, arguing that they are suffering unbearably. One of those who died was a sex abuse victim who suffered severe anorexia, chronic depression and hallucinations, and another was a severe alcoholic.
#slipperyslope

A Dutch woman doctor who drugged an elderly woman and then asked her family to hold her down as she fought desperately not to be killed did not break the law, according to medical experts citing the country’s euthanasia legislation.

The shocking case was referred to the so-called Regional Review Committee in the Netherlands which admitted that while the case involved some irregularities that merited a reprimand, the female doctor had effectively acted in good faith.

However they also added that the case should come to court so that judges can confirm that any other doctor who acts in good faith when providing euthanasia to people with dementia cannot be prosecuted.

Regional Review Committee Chairman Jacob Kohnstamm said: ‘I am convinced that the doctor acted in good faith, and we would like to see more clarity on how such cases are handled in the future.’

The Netherlands introduced the euthanasia law 17 years ago, and since then more than 5,500 people have ended their life, arguing that they are suffering unbearably. One of those who died was a sex abuse victim who suffered severe anorexia, chronic depression and hallucinations, and another was a severe alcoholic.

Every time a doctor performs euthanasia, they have to prepare a report for the coroner who sends the relevant documents to the Regional Review Committee.

In the latest controversial incident the unnamed woman, who was over 80, reportedly suffered from dementia and had earlier expressed a desire for euthanasia when she deemed that ‘the time was right’.

As her situation deteriorated, it became difficult for her husband to care for her, and she was placed in a nursing home.

Medical paperwork showed that she often exhibited signs of fear and anger, and would wander around the building at nights. The nursing home senior doctor was of the opinion that she was suffering intolerably, but that she was no longer in a position where she could confirm that the time was now right for the euthanasia to go ahead.

However the doctor was of the opinion that the woman’s circumstances made it clear that the time was now right.

The doctor secretly placed a soporific in her coffee to calm her, and then had started to give her a lethal injection.

Yet while injecting the woman she woke up, and fought the doctor. The paperwork showed that the only way the doctor could complete the injection was by getting family members to help restrain her.

It also revealed that the patient said several times ‘I don’t want to die’ in the days before she was put to death, and that the doctor had not spoken to her about what was planned because she did not want to cause unnecessary extra distress. She also did not tell her about what was in her coffee as it was also likely to cause further disruptions to the planned euthanasia process.

The Review Committee concluded that the doctor ‘has crossed the line’ by giving her the first sleeping medicine, and also should have stopped when the woman resisted.

The paperwork and the recommendations of the committee are now being considered by prosecutors and health officials.

Kohnstamm said he was in favour of a trial: ‘Not to punish the doctor, who acted in good faith and did what she had to do, but to get judicial clarity over what powers a doctor has when it comes to the euthanasia of patients suffering from severe dementia.’

It comes at a time when the Netherlands is considering a proposed extension to the law which would give all over-75s the right to assisted suicide.
READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4166098/Female-Dutch-doctor-drugged-patient-s-coffee.html?offset=0&max=100&jumpTo=comment-175426032