Today’s Topics: March 18, 2021
1. Spain approves euthanasia law
2. Portugal court rules against euthanasia law
3. MAID in New Mexico
4. Canadian bill approved
Message: 1
Spain approves euthanasia law
CNN
By Al Goodman, March 18, 2021
Spain becomes the fourth European Union country to legalize euthanasia.
“…Spanish journalist Asun Gomez Bueno…lost her husband, Luis de
Marcos, in 2017 to multiple sclerosis, at age 50. He wanted assisted
suicide or euthanasia and she has since become a leading advocate for
the new law.
“‘The last four years of his life, (Luis) was totally paralyzed but
kept his cognitive ability intact,’ Gomez Bueno told CNN. ‘There was
no treatment to mitigate his pain. The pain was so terrible he didn’t
want to sleep at night because he knew the next day would be worse.'”
Read more at:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/18/europe/spain-euthanasia-law-scli-intl/index.html
Message: 2
Top Portugal court nixes euthanasia law, says it’s imprecise
By The Associated Press, March 15, 2021
Meanwhile in Portugal…
“Portugal’s Constitutional Court has blocked a law passed by
parliament that allows euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide for
terminally ill and gravely injured people”
Read more here:
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/top-portugal-court-nixes-euthanasia-law-imprecise-76473392
Message: 3
MAID moves forward in New Mexico
Medical Futility Blog
By Thaddeus Pope, March 16, 2021
MAID legislation has passed the New Mexico House and Senate and is
expected to be enacted. The legislation expands access in several
important ways.
Message: 4
A triumph of compassion and choice: Bill C-7 receives Royal Assent
Dying With Dignity Canada,
March 18, 2021
A summary of what the bill means:
“Canadians no longer must have a reasonably foreseeable death in order
to be eligible for medical assistance in dying;
“There are now two sets of safeguards in place: One for those whose
death is reasonably foreseeable, and one for those whose death is not
reasonably foreseeable;
“Canadians who have been assessed and approved for medical assistance
in dying, but risk losing capacity to consent prior to the MAID
procedure, will be able to sign a waiver of final consent;
“During the two-year mental illness exclusion, the Government of
Canada will hear from experts and develop safeguards and protocols for
people who seek access to MAID, but whose sole underlying medical
condition is a mental illness.”
Read more at:
https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/bill_c7_royal_assent
