Updated April 2 2003
1. When and where did the modern voluntary euthanasia movement start?
2. When did the movement start to become bigger and more vocal?
3. How many people support voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill?
4. How many physicians support assisted dying?
5. What do the terms used in this FAQ mean?
6. Where does the main opposition to voluntary euthanasia come from?
7. Which churches officially support the principle of assisted dying for the terminally ill?
8. How many copies have been sold of Derek Humphry's l991 best-selling book, 'FINAL EXIT: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying'?
9. Is the book banned in any country?
10. Where has assisted dying been made lawful in the world recently?
11. What about the Netherlands, which is famous for its liberal attitudes? And the Belgians?
12. What is the legal position in other countries?
13. How much assisted dying goes on now in America?
14. Are suicide and attempted suicide crimes?
15. How can I help to support choice in dying?
- Q. When and where did the modern voluntary euthanasia movement start?
A. In l935 in Britain, in l938 in the U S A, and in l980 in Canada. The British and America groups were very small and insignificant for the next two decades. - Q. When did the movement start to become bigger and more vocal?
A. After the hugely-publicized Karen Ann Quinlan `right to die' case in New Jersey in l976 revealed to the public the extent of modern medical technology to extend life indefinitely in a persistent vegetative state. In l980 Derek Humphry founded the Hemlock Society to campaign for law reform on assisted dying. - Q. How many people support voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill?
A. Opinion polls show average support of 70 percent in the USA, 74 percent in Canada, and 80 percent in Britain. When actually voting in official ballot measures, the support has been 46 percent in Washington State (l991), 46 percent in California (l992), 51 percent in Oregon (l994), and 60 percent in Oregon (l997). - Q. How many physicians support assisted dying?
A. Numerous opinion polls indicate that half the medical profession would like to see it made law. It also appears that about 15 percent of physicians already practice it on justifiable occasions. The leadership of the professional medical group, the American Medical Association, remains adamantly opposed. - Q. What do the terms used in this FAQ mean?
A. 'Voluntary Euthanasia' (VE) means death by lethal injection; 'Physician-assisted Suicide' (PAS) means death by oral ingestion of prescribed lethal drugs. (It is PAS only which Oregon has legalized.) Passive euthanasia means the disconnection of life-supports systems from a hopelessly ill patient. - Q. Where does the main opposition to voluntary euthanasia come from?
A. The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Also churches on the religious right. - Q. Which churches officially support the principle of assisted dying for the terminally ill?
A. The United Church of Christ (Congregational), the Unitarian Church, and the Methodist Church on the West coast of America. It appears that the congregations of most churches are divided on the issue. - Q. How many copies have been sold of Derek Humphry's l991 best-selling
book, 'FINAL EXIT: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted
Suicide for the Dying'?
A. About 750,000 in the USA and Canada and approximately 250,000 in other major world languages. It consistently sells roughly 1,000 copies a month in North America There was a revised, 3rd edition published by Delta paperbacks, New York, in 2003. It is obtainable in good bookstores worldwide or from Amazon.com or www.FinalExit.org. - Q. Is the book banned in any country?
A. Final Exit is banned in France. Attempts to ban the book in Australia and New Zealand failed. In Britain, publishers fearing the law do not publish it, but the imported book is freely sold through the book trade there. - Q. Where has assisted dying been made lawful in the world recently?
A. In only one place: The American state of Oregon, where its citizens in November l994 voted for Ballot Measure 16 which permits physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill under limited conditions. Despite opponents' attempts to block it in the courts, and a ballot initiative in l997 trying to repeal the law, The Death with Dignity Act withstood all challenges and became effective in October l997. During the five years the Oregon law has been operating, a total of 129 patients have used it to end their lives -- about one in 1,000 of the state's death rate. - Q. What about the Netherlands, which is famous for its liberal
attitudes? And the Belgians?
A. Voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide were permitted by the Dutch for some 20 years before it was actually made legal, under strict guidelines, by the Dutch Parliament in 2002. Later the same year the Belgian Parliament approved a similar law. For a complete round-up of the world's laws go to www.assistedsuicide.org - Q. What is the legal position in other countries?
A. Voluntary euthanasia is lawful in Japan (but apparently rarely practiced); PAS has been lawful in Switzerland since l937. It has never been against the law in Germany, although taboo restricts its use. - Q. How much assisted dying goes on now in America?
A. Nobody really knows because, with assisted suicide a crime, incidents are almost always kept secret to avoid possible prosecution, although this is extremely rare. Derek Humphry estimates that there are probably several thousand cases in the USA each year. - Q. Are suicide and attempted suicide crimes?
A. They used to be. The punishment for suicide was to deprive the family of any inheritance, and imprisonment for attempting self-destruction. But not any longer, anywhere. It is the `assistance in suicide' which remains the crime (excepting Oregon) which ERGO and other groups would like to see decriminalized for the terminally and hopelessly ill, provided that a willing physician carries it out under supervision and with accepted guidelines. - Q. How can I help to support choice in dying?
A. Running a nonprofit organization with worldwide visibility like ERGO requires funding and support from people like you. Find out how you can help to further the cause of choice in dying.
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