Euthanasia Debate heats up in France

The death of a euthanasia-advocate, who suffered from a debilitating cancer that ate away at her face, has re-kindled the debate over doctor-assisted suicide in France. A French law adopted in 2005 allows terminally ill people to refuse treatment in favor of death but stops short of allowing active euthanasia, says this CNN article. Interestingly, active euthanasia is legal in some neighboring countries like Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Read more here.

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Just a minor nitpick. ;)

Active euthanasia isn't allowed in Switzerland.

As the CNN report says: "In Switzerland, counselors or physicians can prepare the lethal dose, but patients must take it on their own."

This is a problem for paralyzed patients who want to die. Though, of course the regulation (actually the non-regulation, we don't have a regulation, that's why it's allowed...) is still better then the laws in France and especially Italy (for which the roman catholic church is to blame).

By student_b (not verified) on 21 Mar 2008 #permalink