Open Regulation and Practice in Assisted Dying.

• Author: Bosshard, G.
• Position: Abstracts

G. Bosshard et al., Open Regulation and Practice in Assisted Dying, Swiss MED. WKLY., Oct. 12, 2002, at 527.

The Netherlands, Oregon and Switzerland are the only areas in the world where assistance in dying has legally been practiced in recent years. This article provides a detailed comparison of the history of the origins, legislation, monitoring systems and the extent of assistance in dying in these three places. It shows that the actual practice in Switzerland which, unlike Oregon, also allows assistance in suicide by means of infusions or gastric tubes, can today be technically quite similar to the permitted practice of active euthanasia on request in the Netherlands. Considering the preconditions restricting these practices, Swiss regulations are the most open, in that the law requires neither a medical second opinion (e.g., Netherlands and Oregon) nor terminal illness (e.g., Oregon) as a prerequisite to assistance...