Physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia have become more acknowledged in the past few years. Many cases in Canada and around the world have brought people to conditionally accept assisted suicide. In his report on physician-assisted suicide, Buchman MD CCFP FCFP (2012) states that, “This past June the BC Supreme Court rendered a decision that Gloria Taylor, a women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has the constitutional right to assisted suicide” (p.1169). Buchman’s report centers on the importance of physicians being informed about assisted suicide. Society, more importantly health care professionals and families of terminally ill patients need to be informed about the laws and basics of physician-assisted suicide and voluntary
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The Criminal Code of Canada (1985) states that, “Everyone who (a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or (b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years” (240-244). Dr. Nitschke an Australian physician was suspended from practice after the suicide of Nigel Brayley, one of his patient’s; Dr. Nitschke didn’t essentially assist but was at liability because he didn’t provide the patient with the appropriate care …show more content…
Another more secretive way being used, that is almost undetectable by autopsy and coroner, is the “debreather.” In a report on the debreather: a report on euthanasia, Ogden (2010) states that, “The debreather is an apparatus adapted from scuba technology, and its objective is to deplete oxygen and induce death naturally, with no poisons, no compressed gasses, and no restricted medications” (p.295). Ogden (2010) also writes, “The cause of death is asphyxia from oxygen deprivation” (p.297). After the patient has died the device is removed and a plastic bag is put over the head of the patient, also a suicide note is written prior to the procedure so the authorities have a cause of
The Criminal Code of Canada (1985) states that, “Everyone who (a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or (b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years” (240-244). Dr. Nitschke an Australian physician was suspended from practice after the suicide of Nigel Brayley, one of his patient’s; Dr. Nitschke didn’t essentially assist but was at liability because he didn’t provide the patient with the appropriate care …show more content…
Another more secretive way being used, that is almost undetectable by autopsy and coroner, is the “debreather.” In a report on the debreather: a report on euthanasia, Ogden (2010) states that, “The debreather is an apparatus adapted from scuba technology, and its objective is to deplete oxygen and induce death naturally, with no poisons, no compressed gasses, and no restricted medications” (p.295). Ogden (2010) also writes, “The cause of death is asphyxia from oxygen deprivation” (p.297). After the patient has died the device is removed and a plastic bag is put over the head of the patient, also a suicide note is written prior to the procedure so the authorities have a cause of