To the Editor: The perspective of the Doctors for Voluntary Euthanasia Choice needs to be challenged.1 Firstly, irrespective of one’s views on the matter, it does not seem reasonable for euthanasia to be legalised so that doctors can avoid the scrutiny of the law. Secondly, the authors point out that “pain may not be a prominent symptom, making death by morphine legally unjustifiable”, therefore implying that morphine has a “double effect” of sedation and hastening death.
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- 1. Willoughby JO, Marr RG, Wendell-Smith CP; Doctors for Voluntary Euthanasia Choice. Doctors in support of law reform for voluntary euthanasia. Med J Aust 2013; 198: 190. <MJA full text>
- 2. R v Adams (1957) Crim L R 365.
- 3. Ashby MA. The fallacies of death causation in palliative care. Med J Aust 1997; 166: 176-177. <MJA full text>
- 4. DuBose RA, Berde CB. Respiratory effects of opioids. Washington, DC: International Association for the Study of Pain, 1997. http://www.iasp-pain.org/AM/Template.cfm? Section=Technical_Corner&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2196 (accessed Jun 2013).
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