Journal of clinical forensic medicine
-
J Clin Forensic Med · Jun 2004
ReviewThe end of life decisions -- should physicians aid their patients in dying?
Decisions pertaining to end of life whether legalized or otherwise, are made in many parts of the world but not reported on account of legal implications. The highly charged debate over voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide was brought into the public arena again when two British doctors confessed to giving lethal doses of drugs to hasten the death of terminally ill patients. ⋯ Debate among the medical practitioners, law makers and the public taking into consideration the cultural, social and religious ethos will lead to increased awareness, more safeguards and improvement of medical decisions concerning the end of life. International Human Rights Law can provide a consensual basis for such a debate on euthanasia.