Who is euthanasia used on

They are also used in injectable forms for animal euthanasia. Their safety and efficacy in inducing a peaceful, swift and uneventful death has been proven around the world. Other options exist, whether in combination or alone, but have limited evidence of use in euthanasia.

Some drugs that cause excessive muscle relaxation and respiratory distress can end life, as can some pain killers commonly used in palliative care.

Drugs can also be used that fatally lower blood sugar levels, cause heart attack, or block messages from the brain to the muscles, causing paralysis. While all of these drugs are legally available in Australia, they could cause a long, protracted death, with many more side effects that could cause distress and suffering at the end of life.

Nembutal and its relatives are less likely to do so, with greater evidence from international practices than any other drugs that can end life. In Australia, Nembutal and secobarbital can be used for animals, but are illegal for human use. This makes implementation of the newly proposed euthanasia law in Victoria slightly more difficult.

The proposed legislation does not seek to legalise the use of Nembutal and its relatives — but suggests a "drug cocktail" be concocted by a compounding pharmacist. Some have suggested the mixture will be in powder form made with pain killers to induce a coma and eventually cause respiratory arrest. It may also use sedatives and muscle relaxants, a drug to slow down the heart, and an anti-epileptic to prevent seizure and induce relaxation of muscles.

The constituents and doses are yet to be determined. It's difficult at this early stage to predict how this concoction would work and whether it would be easier or safer to use than drugs already tried and tested. This proposed product would need to be tested and results compared, as all new drugs are. What is needed is a drug or a mixture of drugs that produce a painless, relatively quick and peaceful passing.

The Netherlands and Switzerland are the most well known, and Belgium considered perhaps the most liberal, but several other jurisdictions allow some form of euthanasia or assisted suicide. That said, permitted circumstances differ considerably. In the Netherlands both euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal if the patient is enduring unbearable suffering and there is no prospect of improvement.

Anyone from the age of 12 can request this, but parental consent is required if a child is under There are a number of checks and balances, including that doctors must consult with at least one other, independent doctor on whether patient meets the necessary criteria. Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada and Colombia also allow both euthanasia and assisted suicide, although there are differences — for example only terminal patients can request it in Colombia, while Belgium has no age restriction for children although they must have a terminal illness.

Assisted suicide is more widely available than euthanasia. Laws permitting assisted suicide came into force in the Australian state of Victoria last month. Again, the exact circumstances in which assisted suicide is allowed vary, with some jurisdictions — Oregon and Vermont — only allowing it in the case of terminal illness. For some places it is permitted not because laws have been passed, but because laws do not prohibit it.

For example in Switzerland it is an offence to assist a suicide if it is done with selfish motives. Other countries, including New Zealand , are considering legalising some form of euthanasia. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal. Euthanasia can lead to a murder charge and assisted suicide could result in a sentence of up to 14 years in prison. That said, anonymous surveys suggest euthanasia does occur in the UK — but it is very rare. In , a Gallup poll indicated that 73 percent of respondents were in favor of euthanasia in the U.

Among weekly churchgoers, Gallup found that 55 percent were in favor of a doctor ending the life of a patient who is terminally ill, compared with 87 percent of those who do not regularly attend church. It is also a political issue. In countries where euthanasia or assisted suicide are legal, they are responsible for a total of between 0.

In Oregon and Washington states, fewer than 1 percent of physicians write prescriptions that will assist suicide each year. A new survey of doctors in the Netherlands - where assisted suicide is legal - reveals around 1 in 3 would help a patient with a mental illness or…. After death, the body enters a long process of decomposition, as its organic elements split into simpler components.

What happens, and why learn about…. The process of dying is complex, and a death rattle is an initial indication that death is approaching. It occurs when a person is unable to clear…. A look at the signs of death and indications that someone is near to the end. Included is detail on when to say goodbye and how to cope with death. Thanatophobia is an intense fear of one's own death or the process of dying.

Also known as death anxiety, this fear can badly impact on a person's…. What are euthanasia and assisted suicide? Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide History Controversy Statistics Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide refer to deliberate action taken with the intention of ending a life, in order to relieve persistent suffering. Euthanasia and assisted suicide. Share on Pinterest Assisted suicide: Is it an act of compassion? Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Euthanasia and assisted suicide. Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering.

The law Both euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law. Assisted suicide Assisted suicide is illegal under the terms of the Suicide Act and is punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment.