Euthanasia

[SaligoBay]

I've started a new topic rather than resurrect the Schiavo one from a while back.  I came across this article about the recent changes in French law about this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/14/international/europe/14france.html

You may have to register to read it, but it's free.  Among other things, it says.....

Under the new law, doctors detaching life support systems are only permitted to do so after obtaining a signed request from the patient or after consulting other doctors and the patient's family. The law also allows doctors to administer drugs to ease suffering even if they shorten life, but requires them to first notify the patient or the patient's family and make a note of the procedure in the patient's medical file.

The law, passed after an overnight session of the French Senate, formalizes what has been the practice in French hospitals but has rarely risen to the level of public debate that such cases have caused in the United States.

I know that someone mentioned the Right to Die with Dignity association in the other thread, so I hope this might be of interest to them.

[Lesbatees]

Many thanks for posting this SB, it helps clear up a few things for me. I've yet to contact my local rep from the Right to Die with Dignity Association, but will do so as soon as I've worked my way through the pile of paperwork that always tends to accumulate while I'm laid up with chemo side effects.

I'm hoping that the Association will have some kind of format they recommend for a written declaration which will be within the law in France.

Val

[RayB]

[quote]I've started a new topic rather than resurrect the Schiavo one from a while back. I came across this article about the recent changes in French law about this: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/14/int...[/quote]

**The law, passed after an overnight session of the French Senate, formalizes what has been the practice in French hospitals but has rarely risen to the level of public debate that such cases have caused in the United States.**

Hi SB -

But first -

Man 1 - 'What to you think of 'Euthanasia'?

Man 2 - 'I think that the parents should be responsible for them.

Right - 'Euthanasia' probably isn't the right word. That is 'assisted death' as opposed to preventing 'artificial life'. Big difference. I'm happy to see the law passed.