List of deaths from legal euthanasia and assisted suicide

Last updated

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering, [1] while assisted suicide, also known as physician-assisted suicide, is suicide committed with the aid of a physician. Assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia. In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In assisted suicide, it is required that the person voluntarily expresses their wish to die, and also makes a request for medication for the purpose of ending their life. Assisted suicide thus involves a person’s self-administration of deadly drugs that are supplied by a doctor. [2]

The legality of euthanasia and assisted suicide varies. Non-voluntary euthanasia (patient's consent unavailable) and involuntary euthanasia is illegal in all countries. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in Botswana, Belgium, [3] Canada, [4] Colombia, [5] Luxembourg, [6] the Netherlands, [7] New Zealand, [8] Portugal [9] and Spain, [10] and was previously legal in the Northern Territory. [11] It is also legal in all Australian states, and in the US jurisdictions of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, Washington State and Washington DC. Assisted suicide is legal in Austria, [12] [13] Belgium, [14] Canada, [15] Luxembourg, [16] the Netherlands, [17] New Zealand, [18] Spain [19] and Switzerland. [20]

This list contains notable people who have died via either legal voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide. The criterion for notability is an article on the individual in the English Wikipedia.

NameBornDiedNationalityPlace of deathProfessionRef.
Dries van Agt 19312024DutchNetherlandsPolitician, diplomat and head of government [21]
René Auberjonois 19402019AmericanUnited StatesActor and director [22]
Arthur Black 19432018CanadianCanadaBroadcaster and author [23]
Denis Berthiaume 19692022CanadianCanadaAcademic and researcher [24]
Edward Brongersma 19111998DutchNetherlandsPolitician [25]
Michèle Causse 19362010FrenchSwitzerlandTheorist, translator and author [26]
Hugo Claus 19292008BelgianBelgiumAuthor [27]
Fu Da-ren 19332018TaiwaneseSwitzerlandTelevision presenter [28]
Christian de Duve 19172013BelgianBelgiumCytologist and biochemist [29]
Fleur van Dooren 19892024DutchNetherlandsField hockey player [30]
Edward Downes 19242009EnglishSwitzerlandConductor [31]
Ana Estrada 19762024PeruvianPeru [lower-alpha 1] Psychologist [32]
Anton Fier 19562022AmericanSwitzerlandDrummer, composer and bandleader [33]
Mark Fleischman 19402022AmericanSwitzerlandBusinessman [34]
Herbert Fux 19272007AustrianSwitzerlandActor and politician [35]
Jean-Luc Godard 19302022French-SwissSwitzerlandFilm director, screenwriter and film critic [36]
David Goodall 19142018AustralianSwitzerlandBotanist and ecologist [37]
Paulette Guinchard-Kunstler 19492021FrenchSwitzerlandPolitician [38]
John Hicklenton 19672010BritishSwitzerlandComics artist [39]
Pieter Hintjens 19622016BelgianBelgiumSoftware developer [40]
Willem Jewett 19632022AmericanUnited StatesPolitician [41]
W. P. Kinsella 19352016CanadianCanadaWriter [42]
Friedhelm Konietzka 19382012GermanSwitzerlandFootball striker and manager [43]
Andrée Lachapelle 19312019CanadianCanadaActress [44]
Ruud Lubbers 19392018DutchNetherlandsPolitician, diplomat and head of government [45]
Margaret Lyons 19232019CanadianCanadaRadio executive [46]
Pierre Mailloux 19492024CanadianCanadaPsychiatrist, talk show host [47]
Wilfried Martens 19362013BelgianBelgiumPolitician [48]
Brittany Maynard 19842014AmericanUnited StatesTeacher [49]
Chaïm Nissim 19492017IsraeliSwitzerlandActivist, militant and politician [50]
Mort Ransen 19332021CanadianCanadaDirector and screenwriter [51]
Elisabeth Rivers-Bulkeley 19242006AustrianSwitzerlandStockbroker [52]
Matthijs Röling 19432024DutchNetherlandsPainter [53]
Pete Sutherland 19512022AmericanUnited StatesFolk musician [54]
Adi Talmor 19532011IsraeliSwitzerlandJournalist and news presenter [55]
Bea Van der Maat 19602023BelgianBelgiumSinger [56]
Etienne Vermeersch 19342019BelgianBelgiumPhilosopher [57]
Marieke Vervoort 19792019BelgianBelgiumParalympic athlete [58]
Norah Vincent 19682022AmericanSwitzerlandWriter and journalist [59]
Pamela Weston 19212009EnglishSwitzerlandClarinetist, teacher and writer [60]
Rogi Wieg 19622015DutchNetherlandsPoet, novelist and musician [61]
  1. ↑ While euthanasia is illegal in Peru, an exception was made for Estrada in 2022. [32]

Related Research Articles

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assisted suicide</span> Suicide undertaken with aid from another person

Assisted suicide describes the process by which a person, with the help of others, takes medications to die by suicide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Nitschke</span> Australian doctor (born 1947)

Philip Haig Nitschke is an Australian humanist, author, former physician, and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. He campaigned successfully to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before the law was overturned by the Government of Australia. Nitschke was the first doctor in the world to administer a legal, voluntary, lethal injection, after which the patient activated the syringe using a computer. Nitschke states that he and his group are regularly subject to harassment by authorities. In 2015, Nitschke burned his medical practising certificate in response to what he saw as onerous conditions that violated his right to free speech, imposed on him by the Medical Board of Australia. Nitschke has been referred to in the media as "Dr Death" or "the Elon Musk of assisted suicide".

The right to die is a concept based on the opinion that human beings are entitled to end their lives or undergo voluntary euthanasia. Possession of this right is often bestowed with the understanding that a person with a terminal illness, incurable pain, or without the will to continue living should be allowed to end their own life, use assisted suicide, or decline life-prolonging treatment. The question of who, if anyone, may be empowered to make this decision is often the subject of debate.

Voluntary euthanasia is the purposeful ending of another person's life at their request, in order to relieve them of suffering. Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have been the focus of intense debate in the 21st century, surrounding the idea of a right to die. Some forms of voluntary euthanasia are legal in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suicide legislation</span> Laws concerning suicide around the world

Suicide is a crime in some parts of the world. However, while suicide has been decriminalized in many countries, the act is almost universally stigmatized and discouraged. In some contexts, suicide could be utilized as an extreme expression of liberty, as is exemplified by its usage as an expression of devout dissent towards perceived tyranny or injustice which occurred occasionally in cultures such as ancient Rome, medieval Japan, or today's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Euthanasia in the Netherlands is regulated by the "Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide Act" which was passed in 2001 and took effect in 2002. It states that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are not punishable if the attending physician acts in accordance with criteria of due care. These criteria concern the patient's request, the patient's suffering, the information provided to the patient, the absence of reasonable alternatives, consultation of another physician and the applied method of ending life. To demonstrate their compliance, the Act requires physicians to report euthanasia to a review committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exit International</span> Assisted suicide advocacy group

Exit International is an international non-profit organisation advocating legalisation of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. It was previously known as the Voluntary Euthanasia Research Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legality of euthanasia</span>

The legality of euthanasia varies between countries and territories. Efforts to change government policies on euthanasia of humans in the 20th and 21st centuries have met with limited success in Western countries. Human euthanasia policies have also been developed by a variety of NGOs, most advocacy organisations although medical associations express a range of perspectives, and supporters of palliative care broadly oppose euthanasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Assisted dying in Australia</span> Legal history of euthanasia in Australia

Laws regarding euthanasia or assisted suicide in Australia are matters for state and territory governments. As of June 2024 all states and the Australian Capital Territory have passed legislation creating an assisted suicide and euthanasia scheme for eligible individuals. These laws typically refer to the practices as "voluntary assisted dying".

Critics of euthanasia sometimes claim that legalizing any form of the practice will lead to a slippery slope effect, resulting eventually in non-voluntary or even involuntary euthanasia. The slippery slope argument has been present in the euthanasia debate since at least the 1930s.

The Voluntary Euthanasia Party (VEP) was a minor political party in Australia, founded in early 2013 by Corey McCann to advocate for legislative change to allow voluntary euthanasia in Australia. The party's inception was strongly supported by Dr Philip Nitschke, director of Exit International and Richard Mills, then President of Dying with Dignity NSW.

The Law on euthanasia and assisted suicide is a law that came into force in 2009 in Luxembourg, legalising euthanasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marieke Vervoort</span> Belgian Paralympic athlete (1979–2019)

Marieke Vervoort was a Belgian Paralympic athlete with reflex sympathetic dystrophy. She won several medals at the Paralympics, and she received worldwide attention in 2016 when she revealed that she was considering euthanasia.

Assisted suicide is the ending of one's own life with the assistance of another. Physician-assisted suicide is medical assistance in helping another person end their own life for the purpose of relieving their suffering, and voluntary euthanasia is the act of ending the life of another, also for the purpose of relieving their suffering. The phrase "assisted dying" is often used instead of physician-assisted suicide by proponents of legalisation and the media when used in the context of a medically assisted suicide for the purpose of relieving suffering. "Assisted dying" is also the phrase used by politicians when bills are proposed in parliament. Assisted suicide is illegal under English law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarco pod</span> Euthanasia device

The Sarco pod is a euthanasia device or machine consisting of a 3D-printed detachable capsule mounted on a stand that contains a canister of liquid nitrogen to die by suicide through inert gas asphyxiation. "Sarco" is short for "sarcophagus". It is used in conjunction with an inert gas (nitrogen) which decreases oxygen levels rapidly which prevents panic, sense of suffocation and struggling before unconsciousness, known as the hypercapnic alarm response caused by the presence of high carbon dioxide concentrations in the blood. The Sarco was invented by euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke in 2017. Nitschke said in 2021 that he sought and received legal advice about the device's legality in Switzerland.

Organ donation after medical assistance in dying is the donation of organs after death that is medically assisted (MAiD). Both are expressions of human autonomy. The governments of the countries where MAiD is permitted have introduced detailed regulations for this procedure. Combining these procedures requires a combination of the separate regulations applying to each procedure. Popular demand has furthered the development of the combined procedure, known in English-speaking countries as "organ and tissue donation and transplantation after medical assistance in dying " and in Europe as "organ donation after euthanasia (ODE)". By 2020 MAiD by intravenous injection had been legalized in 8 countries and occurred more than 17,000 times including more than 220 ODE procedures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bea Van der Maat</span> Belgian singer, television presenter and actress (1960–2023)

Béatrice Marguerite Van der Maat was a Belgian singer, television presenter and actress.

Euthanasia for mental illness involves a physician intentionally ending the life of a patient who has requested euthanasia due to a psychiatric condition. The practice is legal in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain and Colombia. In Canada, legislation authorizing the procedure was passed, but has since been repeatedly postponed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans Plomp</span> Dutch poet, playwright and writer (1944–2024)

Hans Plomp was a Dutch writer, playwright, and poet. Plomp was born in Amsterdam. Together with fellow writer Gerben Hellinga, he was the driving force behind saving the village of Ruigoord near Amsterdam from demolition in July 1973. He was a member of the Amsterdam Balloon Society.

References

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  2. ↑ Materstvedt, LJ; Kaasa, S (2002). "Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in Scandinavia Ð with a conceptual suggestion regarding international research in relation to the phenomena". Palliative Medicine . 16 (1): 19. doi:10.1191/0269216302pm470oa. PMID   11963448.
  3. ↑ Adams M, Nys H (2003). "Comparative reflections on the Belgian Euthanasia Act 2002". Med Law Rev. 11 (3): 353–76. doi:10.1093/medlaw/11.3.353. PMID   16733879.
  4. ↑ "Canada's parliament passes assisted suicide bill". BBC News . June 18, 2016. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Euthanasia regularly practiced in Colombia". NBC News. July 31, 2005. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  6. ↑ Julien Ponthus (February 20, 2008). "Luxembourg parliament adopts euthanasia law". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  7. ↑ Janssen, André (2002). "The New Regulation of Voluntary Euthanasia and Medically Assisted Suicide in the Netherlands". Int J Law Policy Family. 16 (2): 260–269. doi:10.1093/lawfam/16.2.260. PMID   16848072.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Voluntary Euthanasia Law Comes into Effect". Voice of America. 8 November 2021. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Portuguese parliament legalises euthanasia after long battle". The Guardian. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Spain passes law allowing euthanasia". BBC News. March 18, 2021. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ Brooks, Sally (May 25, 2015). "Euthanasia advocates call for change 20 years after Northern Territory Parliament passed historic laws". ABC News . Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  12. ↑ "G 139/2019-71. 11. Dezember 2020" (PDF) (in German). Verfassungsgerichtshof. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Sterbeverfügungsgesetz; Suchtmittelgesetz, Strafgesetzbuch, Änderung". parlament.gv.at (in German). Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  14. ↑ "28 MEI 2002. — Wet betreffende de euthanasie / 28 MAI 2002. — Loi relative a' l'euthanasie" (PDF) (in Dutch and French). Belgisch Staatsblad / Moniteur Belge. June 22, 2002. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Bill C-14. An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying". parl.ca. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Legislation reglementant les soins palliatifs ainsi que l'euthanasie et l'assistance au suicide" (PDF) (in French). Journal Officiel du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. March 16, 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding". overheid.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2021-12-17. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  18. ↑ "End of Life Choice Act". health.govt.nz. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Ley Orgánica 3/2021, de 24 de marzo, de regulación de la eutanasia". boe.es (in Spanish). March 25, 2021. pp. 34037–34049. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  20. ↑ Bondolfi, Sibilla (July 24, 2020). "Why assisted suicide is 'normal' in Switzerland". swissinfo.ch. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Van Agt en vrouw kozen voor euthanasie, steeds meer stellen maken die keuze". NOS. February 8, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Five Questions for Judith Auberjonois" (PDF). Compassion & Choices. 2021. p. 20.
  23. ↑ "Islander, Author, Broadcaster Arthur Black Dies". Gulf Islands Driftwood. February 21, 2018. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Pédagogie : le chercheur Denis Berthiaume annonce son recours à l'aide médicale à mourir au Canada". News Tank Éducation & Recherche (in French). Retrieved 2023-06-08.
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  26. ↑ "Décès de Michèle Causse, écrivain et militante lesbienne". Le Télégramme . 30 July 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-08-12. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  27. ↑ "Author Claus dies by euthanasia". BBC News. March 21, 2008. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  28. ↑ Lee, Chin-wei; Chang, S.C. (7 June 2018). "Former sports anchor Fu Da-ren ends life by assisted suicide". Central News Agency . Archived from the original on 16 July 2020.
  29. ↑ Gellene, Denise (May 6, 2013). "Christian de Duve, 95, Dies; Nobel-Winning Biochemist". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Voormalig hockey-international Fleur van Dooren (35) overleden" [Former hockey international Fleur van Dooren (35) passed away]. Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  31. ↑ Appel, Jacob M. (July 16, 2009). "Next: Assisted Suicide for Healthy People". The Huffington Post . Archived from the original on December 4, 2012.
  32. 1 2 Briceno, Franklin (April 23, 2024). "Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years". Associated Press . Archived from the original on April 24, 2024.
  33. ↑ Williams, Alex (October 7, 2022). "Anton Fier, Drummer Who Left Stamp on a Downtown Scene, Dies at 66". The New York Times . Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  34. ↑ Schudel, Matt (July 13, 2022). "Mark Fleischman, Studio 54 owner, dies by assisted suicide at 82". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  35. ↑ Schulthess, Von Adrian (January 20, 2012). "ZÜRICH – In seinen TV-Rollen trotzte Herbert Fux (79) meist dem Tod. Im wahren Leben suchte ihn der Österreicher sogar – bei den Sterbehelfern von Dignitas in Zürich". Blick (in German). Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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  40. ↑ Moore, Madison (October 4, 2016). "ZeroMQ founder Pieter Hintjens dies". San Diego Times. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019.
  41. ↑ "Legislator dies using medical suicide law he helped pass". Associated Press . January 19, 2022. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Shoeless Author Kinsella Died". The Montreal Gazette . September 17, 2016. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016.
  43. ↑ "Scorer of first Bundesliga goal dies by assisted suicide". Dawn . 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  44. ↑ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Arts- (21 November 2019). "La comédienne Andrée Lachapelle s'éteint à 88 ans". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2023-06-08.
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  48. ↑ "Wilfried Martens koos voor euthanasie: "Hij was op het einde van zijn leven"". Het Belang van Limburg (in Dutch). October 3, 2018. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022.
  49. ↑ Egan, Nicole (November 2, 2014). "Terminally Ill Woman Brittany Maynard Has Ended Her Own Life". People . Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  50. ↑ Moulin, Marc (12 April 2017). "Chaïm Nissim, l'ultime bravade d'un jusqu'au-boutiste". La Tribune de Genève.
  51. ↑ Cordasco, Lisa (15 September 2021). "'Margaret's Museum' director opts for medical assistance in dying on Salt Spring Island". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021.
  52. ↑ Adams, Lucy (February 8, 2007). "Death on her own terms". The Herald . Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  53. ↑ Boxem, Reyer (July 10, 2024). "Kunstschilder Matthijs Röling (81) overleden". Rtvnoord.nl. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  54. ↑ Pollak, Sally (December 14, 2022). "Life Stories: Musician Pete Sutherland Was a 'Unifying Force'". Seven Days . Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  55. ↑ "Radio personality Adi Talmor dies at 58". The Jerusalem Post . August 8, 2011. Archived from the original on April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  56. ↑ "Presentatrice en zangeres Bea Van der Maat (62) is overleden na slepende ziekte ALS: "Ze koos voor euthanasie"". HLN (in Dutch). 29 July 2023.
  57. ↑ "Filosoof, ethicus en opiniemaker Etienne Vermeersch overleden". De Standaard (in Dutch). 24 January 2019.
  58. ↑ "Marieke Vervoort: Tribute to the Paralympian, who ended her life through euthanasia". BBC Sport. 23 October 2019. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019.
  59. ↑ Green, Penelope (August 18, 2022). "Norah Vincent, Who Chronicled Passing as a Man, Is Dead at 53" . The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
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  61. ↑ "Dichter Rogi Wieg (52) overleden". Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (in Dutch). July 15, 2015. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021.
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