Hi Foxy, thanks for this discussion.
I thought that perhaps this brochure might be of interest to you and others; it's about the euthanasia rules in the Netherlands.

http://www.minvws.nl/en/folders/ibe/euthanasia_the_netherlands_new_rules.asp Click the link at the bottom for the euthanasia brochure.

"This brochure provides information about Dutch legislation on
euthanasia. On 10 April 2001, the Dutch parliament passed a new Act
on euthanasia, the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide
(Review Procedures) Act. ... Thanks to the new Act, doctors and terminally ill patients now know exactly what their rights and obliga-tions are."

Personally, I find it quite cruel to force a suffering, terminally ill patient to suffer unnecessarily.
When criticising euthanasia, please keep in mind that medical doctors make the ultimate decision, not the patient.
Euthanasia is only permitted when there is no more relief available and the only thing left for the patient is a few more weeks or months of intense suffering.

"It is almost
always possible to provide terminal patients with a high standard of care,
even if there is no cure for their condition."
Palliative care in the Netherlands is said to be the best in the world.

I don't often give credit to Christian parties; but I have to admit that the Christian Democrats and Christian Union parties have played a very positive part in the development of palliative care in insisting excellence in this kind of care before adopting Euthanasia.
(Same for legal abortion but that's a different issue).

Personally I believe that a country is ready only for a Euthanasia act when there is also top-quality, freely available, easily accessable palliative care available.
Only then we can speak of euthanasia as a last resort.

Thank you for all your inputs. I hope that I may never be faced with having to make the decision on either my own or a relative's behalf.
But inevitably the day will come. Palliative care sounds very appealing at the moment though.

Yes palliative care is of uttermost importance.
But the point of euthanasia is that while the patient requests euthanasia, the doctor and counsellors have to make the decision if his/her request can be granted. They look at all other possibilities to improve the life of the patient, however short.

If the medical doctors involved have tried all available possibilities and can see no other way of relieving the suffering, only then will the patient be accepted as a euthanasia case.

The euthanasia rules should only allow the patient's own request to be considered. No one else has the right to request euthanasia for their loved ones.

When euthanasia is legal, people must make up their mind and legally organise a euthanasia form requesting that they'll be euthanised in certain situations. They need to do this when they are still of sound mind- one can do this at any time. People must make their wishes clear.
Once a patient's health is deteriorating and the patient is no longer of sound mind, it is too late to request euthanasia.

What I find interesting is that about 70% of patients who have been accepted to be euthanised suddenly seem to cope much better and never make use of the service.
The idea that they no longer HAVE to suffer, that they can end their lives peacefully, seems to relax them about the pain and especially their death.
I can imagine that it must be very scary to know that your only outlook is to suffer an agonising death.
To know that your death will be quick and peaceful, whenever you are ready, and to be accompanied by loved ones, is an extremely relaxing and calming idea.

Dear Celivia,

Thank you so much for your input. You have no idea how much it's helped me. I have two elderly parents (my mum and my mother-in-law).
Both have the beginnings of Alzeimers ...

What is particularly worrying about Philip Nitschke is that he and a couple of his "patients" have engaged in a public circus. Mental health care workers and the police know that every time a suicide is publicised, there are a rash of others that follow. This is why we don't see suicides reported in the media.

Also, what does Nitschke mean by "mental distress"...! The risk of those sufferring depression is that they do suicide, instead of seeking treatment. Alzeimers ...? Whilst extremely distressing for those close to a sufferer, is it distressing for the patient?

Celivia as always, and other writers here put forward very thoughtful insights; and I agree that good palliative care is always necessary.

As I understand it, when people are in pain, doctors will increase pain relief even if it shortens the life of the patient.

I think that the religious issue can really “go overboard”. I recall that when my son-in-law was working in a public hospital he mentioned that one of the patients was dying from a brain tumour. Being a devout Christian, the patient refused pain relief as it might hasten death. His death was prolonged and agonising.

I am sure that Christianity, indeed all religions, would not expect this, nor endorce unnecessarily “heroic” methods by doctors in saving lives.

What issue has not been addressed was that debated by the Hastings Center (bioethics) some years ago: whether some of our medical interventions are actually prolonging life, or prolonging the dying process.

Recently, I was told by a nurse from a private hospital that a patient marked NFR was recuscitated twice because his doctor was away for a long weekend. Apparently, the doctor had to be there to “see him off”. The patient, incidentally, was not pleased. I found this situation rather ludicrous, however, I don’t know the normal protocols - perhaps someone would like to comment ...

In regard to the religious parts the bible does have an example with some relevance to this issue - the account of the suicide of Saul - 1 Samuel 31:4

From http://bible.cc/1_samuel/31-4.htm
New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it."

R0bert