Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: focus on the data

Parker, Malcolm H

doi:10.5694/mja17.00441

Topics

Emanuel1 enjoins readers to focus on the data concerning euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), and to aim at improving the care of dying patients, but advances straw arguments on the basis of three claims in the end-of-life debates that are disputed by neither advocates nor opponents of assisted dying.

University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD

Correspondence: m.parker@uq.edu.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. Emanuel E. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: focus on the data. Med J Aust 2017; 206: 339-340. <MJA full text>
2. Cartwright C. FactCheck Q&A: do 80% of Australians and up to 70% of Catholics and Anglicans support euthanasia laws? The Conversation 2017; 1 May. https://theconversation.com/factcheck-qanda-do-80-of-australians-and-up-to-70-of-catholics-and-anglicans-support-euthanasia-laws-76079 (accessed Sept 2017).
3. Rich B. Pathologizing suffering and the pursuit of a peaceful death. Camb Q Health Ethics 2014; 23: 403-416.

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