The Medical journal of Australia
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Intense debate has continued for many years about whether voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide should be permitted by law. The community is bitterly divided and there has been vigorous opposition from medical practitioners and the Australian Medical Association. Despite differences of religious and philosophical convictions and ethical values, there is widespread community agreement that people with terminal illnesses are entitled to adequate treatment, and should also be allowed to make basic choices about when and how they die. ⋯ We propose simple changes to Commonwealth and state legislation that recognise community concerns and protect doctors acting in accordance with best current practice. This minimalist solution should be widely acceptable to the community, including both the medical profession and those who object to euthanasia for religious reasons. Important areas of disagreement will persist that can be addressed in future debates.
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To examine the uptake of financial incentive payments in general practice, and identify what types of practitioners are more likely to participate in these schemes. ⋯ Administrative support available to GPs appears to be an increasingly important predictor of incentive use, suggesting that the administrative burden of claiming incentives is large and not always worth the effort. It is, therefore, crucial to consider such costs (especially relative to the size of the payment) when designing incentive payments. As market conditions are also likely to influence participation in incentive schemes, the impact of incentives can change over time and these schemes should be reviewed regularly.
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To identify patterns of asthma control and treatment in Australian adults with asthma. ⋯ This study provides the first data about asthma control and its relationship with treatment in a large representative Australian population. The findings highlight significant preventable asthma morbidity in Australia.