Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Queensland Australia: Is voluntary assisted dying really going to remain voluntary or safe?

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition


Dr's John Buchanan, Odette Spruijt & Haydn Walters wrote an excellent article that was published in the Spectator Australia on June 2 concerning the Queensland Australia euthanasia bill, asking the question: Is voluntary assisted dying really going to remain voluntary or safe?

The authors begin their article by stating that:
The Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021, and reports that the Queensland Government will include mental suffering as a criterion, are of great concern to future medical practice.
The authors are right. Mental suffering is based on personal not objective grounds. The authors state:
An ethical medical assumption in most Western democracies, and especially Australia, has been that the state does not take or collude in the taking of the lives of its citizens; what politicians are doing in Australia at the moment is therefore quite profound and socially dangerous.

Legislation of this sort assumes it can put subtle and complex medical and psychological matters into a black and white legal framework. This is very difficult if not impossible without opening the door to harm for present and future patients.
We have seen this very harm after Canada legalized euthanasia in 2016.
The authors continue by uncovering further problems with the Queensland euthanasia bill. They state:
There is no obligation in this Bill for the doctor involved to confirm the pathology from which a person suffers, consult with their current treating doctor, refer for specialist palliative care consultation, or refer to a psychiatrist experienced in the field. And this is a situation where fear of the unknown and outright depression is rife, and the main drivers of suicidal thought.

An assumption is made that a requesting patient is fully informed about all of these matters, is having fully adequate care, does not suffer from depression, and is not under coercion by anyone, especially relatives.
The authors continue by focusing on the long-term problems with legalizing euthanasia.
The outworking of this sort of legislation will create a major medical ethical problem in coming decades. A somewhat hidden concern also must be future bureaucratic proposals about the expense of care for ageing and dementing people. Government itself is crossing a huge ethical boundary in legitimising the killing of its citizens; where may that end?

Will doctor-assisted suicide, voluntary or involuntary, be considered as part of the “management of ageing”. Once the ethical line is crossed, there is no logical end-point to terminating of life as part of future ‘medical management’ or indeed governmental social policy.
As I stated in an article last week, Queensland's euthanasia bill is deliberately deceptive while Liz Storer with Sky News called Queensland's euthanasia bill disturbing.

3 comments:

gordon friesen said...

I am very glad to see these questions frankly raised. It is a little late in Canada, but if other jurisdictions go into these discussions with a more advanced outlook (nourished by actual experience), seeing the true face of utilitarian policy may permit a more thoughtful response.

Gordon Friesen, Montreal
http://www.euthanasiediscussion.net/ (français)

http://euthanasiadiscussion.com/ (english site in development)

http://hopeandfree.com/ (personal philosophical musings)

LifeStar said...

The way medics try to take over seniors living independently in gov't assistance housing in B.C., Canada, I do not believe Euthanasia nor assisted suicide will remain or is voluntary.
I am 79 years old and consider living in a Care Home to be a death sentence.
#1 I would not be able to have the diet and eat as I need to and do now.
#2 I can not take medications [but there they require them] & would not be able to afford/acquire my quality nutritionals.
#3 I helped feed my elderly teacher friend in a Care Home and know how her life was ended before above laws were legal in Canada.
It is difficult enough contending with illegal entry of my suite and false statements re: suite inspections and refusal to do repairs.
Thankfully, my eldest daughter with my three eldest grandchildren live close by and are of same mind/supportive.
Presently, they are forcing Covid19 vaccines on defenseless independent living seniors younger than me who say no and are not told the truth re: content/purpose!
Gov't. bureaucrasies seem to be a Death Cult respecting no one who disagrees.
I am thankful for God, my Bible, and access to Truth re:health & politics.
I greatly appreciate the diligent work of Euthnasia Prevention Coalition.
Shalom, Life Star

Sofia said...

I find it very interesting and not necessarily coincidental that there is a big push for Euthanasia world wide along with the push for the experimental vaccines. I think they might be two sides of the same dangerous coin.

Here in Canada doctors are forced to go against their conscience. They have to refer a person seeking to end their life to a physician who will do that for them even if it goes against their conscience and morals and makes them complicit in what they consider to be a crime.

Here in Canada doctors are forbidden by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to advise against the vaccines or recommend alternative treatments of the Covid19 virus under penalty of investigation and possibly job loss.

Is this right? Is this actually even legal? What about the Hippocratic oath that doctors have taken which says " Do no harm"? And what about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which insures our freedom of speech? What about informed consent? How can anyone consent either to death by Euthanasia or taking an experimental vaccine if they are not allowed to be informed or if they are mentally incapable of understanding the full picture? Is this not basically murder? And why are we letting this happen?