A father who went to the High Court to try to stop a hospital turning off his seriously ill baby son’s life support machine has dropped his objections to the move. A host of paediatricians, nurses, and experts went into … Continue reading →

Patients with terminal illness are being heavily sedated by doctors before their deaths in a form of “slow euthanasia”, research suggests. A poll of nearly 3,000 doctors found that almost one in five had administered infusions of drugs to keep … Continue reading →

They tackle questions of whether to begin or continue aggressive treatments or artificial life support, such as ventilators or feeding tubes. Only 25% of Americans have advance directives spelling out their values and choices for the day “when I’m not … Continue reading →

The recent ruling by the law lords in the case of Debbie Purdy has re-ignited the debate over assisted suicide. Polls suggest that while a majority of the public would support a change in the law to allow assisted dying, … Continue reading →

It has long been the case that patients have a legal right to refuse treatment. But in recent years there has been controversy about the right of patients to be tube fed or hydrated right up until the point of … Continue reading →

A British couple who were both suffering from terminal cancer have died at a voluntary euthanasia clinic in Switzerland. Peter and Penelope Duff, from Bath, ended their lives at the Dignitas clinic in Zurich last Friday. more

In all, 401 terminally ill Oregonians have died this way since 1997, when Oregon made it legal for a doctor to prescribe a lethal drug dose to a terminally ill patient who makes the request orally and in writing. Oregon … Continue reading →

When Washington state’s Death with Dignity law is enacted this week, experts say people who think they may want to take advantage of it should decide now who their health care provider will be. “You need to find out now … Continue reading →

A woman with multiple sclerosis has lost her Appeal Court case to clarify the law on assisted suicide. Debbie Purdy, 45, from Bradford, is considering going to a Swiss clinic to end her life, but fears her husband may be … Continue reading →

Conflicting wishes and demands regarding end of life care are a common – but not often discussed – problem, with no clear solution. A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine by three doctors from Boston’s Brigham and … Continue reading →