…neither is assisted suicide

The Toronto Star August 7, 1994, Sunday, SUNDAY SECOND EDITION

Copyright 1994 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd.
The Toronto Star

August 7, 1994, Sunday, SUNDAY SECOND EDITION

SECTION: LETTER; Pg. E2

LENGTH: 183 words

HEADLINE: …neither is assisted suicide

BODY:

In his July 24 column, Palliative care far from being a panacea, after discrediting those who favor palliative care, Tom Harpur appears to suggest that assisted suicide is a panacea.

He navely gives credence to the view that legislation permitting doctor-assisted suicide (active suicide) under strict controls and safeguards is the best option. Sounds good in theory, but it conveniently overlooks the wide disparity between theory and practical implementation.

Harpur and the Special Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Dying need only read “The Report of the Dutch Governmental Committee on Euthanasia” released in 1991 to deduce that assisted suicide is far from being a panacea.

In the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been practised from more than 20 years: 54 per cent of the doctors who performed euthanasia did not record or keep track of the procedure; doctors – not patients or family – took decisions to hasten death in 56.5 per cent of all deaths; 45 per cent of euthanasia in hospitals was carried out without family knowledge.

Faisal Kutty

Scarborough

Tags: Assisted Suicide, euthanasia

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