Map Shows Assisted Dying Laws Around the World

1 month ago 2

As the U.K. debates its laws around assisted dying, Newsweek has mapped out which countries already have euthanasia policies.

According to World Population Review, 10 countries have legalized assisted dying, or "active euthanasia," in which medical professionals administer medication to end a patient's life.

This differs from "passive euthanasia," in which medical support is ended for patients who are expected to die. Passive euthanasia is practiced more widely and is legal in several nations that do not allow active euthanasia, such as Finland and Germany.

Both active and passive euthanasia can be voluntary or—in some cases, such as those involving coma patients—involuntary.

These countries allow some form of assisted dying:

Australia
Belgium
Canada
Colombia
Ecuador
Luxembourg
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Portugal
Spain

The countries that have legalized assisted dying have different approaches to the policy. For example, in Australia, patients must have an incurable condition that would result in their death within six months. It is also illegal to provide the service to someone who is not a legal adult.

By contrast, Belgium's policy allows for children to access euthanasia, though they must have a terminal illness, be in "great pain" and fully understand the procedure. Belgium also allows euthanasia in patients with mental illnesses, such as degenerative neurological conditions.

Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying program is one of the most well-known examples of assisted dying in the world. Canadian euthanasia does not require patients to be terminally ill, and the policy received widespread criticism after extending to encompass mental illness.

The U.K. Parliament is preparing to vote on allowing a form of assisted dying. The law, if passed, would require adults to be expected to die within six months, and patients would need the sign-off from two doctors.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would legalize physician-assisted suicide, meaning doctors can prepare a substance designed to end patients' lives, but the patients must take it themselves.

This differs from voluntary euthanasia, in which a medical professional directly administers the drug that ends the patient's life.

Which U.S. States Have Legalized Assisted Dying?

In the U.S, 10 states allow assisted dying in some form. Oregon, in 1997, was the first state to legalize the process. The District of Columbia also allows assisted dying.

These are the states: