Meanwhile, there are countries where these procedures are only legal in part of their geography, such as the United States, where assisted suicide is only allowed in the states of Oregon, Montana and Washington, and Australia, where euthanasia has been legal in the northern states since the mid-nineties. and New Zealand (2020 referendum) have also regulated euthanasia. In many other countries, such as Chile, Portugal, France or Ireland, there are initiatives to promote their decriminalization. In April 2002, the Netherlands set a precedent by becoming the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia. Soon after, Belgium and Luxembourg followed their neighbour`s lead. These three places are currently the only places in Europe where “euthanasia” is allowed. More recently, Colombia and Canada have protected this practice in their legislation, although each standard has its own nuances. In Luxembourg, patients must have a doctor`s© authorisation in 2009. In Canada, euthanasia was legalized in 2016±, with several requirements such as the presence of witnesses. New Zealand was the first country in the world to submit the rule to elections, and it was adopted by©referendum in 2020. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands,[2][3] Belgium,[4] Luxembourg,[5] Colombia,[6][7] Canada,[8] Spain,[9],[10] and New Zealand. [11] [2] In Australia, it is legal in the states of South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria, although it was also legal in the Northern Territory between 1995 and 1997.
[12] Italy: Also in this country, it is legal to interrupt the treatment that a terminally ill patient may receive and that keeps him alive, if it is the best option or if it is part of palliative care, but euthanasia and assisted suicide are punishable by prison sentences in the latter two countries. Last September, Italy`s Constitutional Court issued a landmark ruling leaving the door open to the acquittal of Marco Cappato, a former MEP and pro-euthanasia activist who helped DJ Fabo, 40, who became blind and paraplegic after an accident and decided to end his suffering in a clinic in Switzerland. This case has reopened the debate on euthanasia, but it has not yet been possible to reach an agreement on it. What Cappato realized is that such a case is not automatically punished as long as a number of conditions are met. Among other things, that the patient shows unbearable physical and psychological suffering, but remains able to make free and conscious decisions. Other special cases are in Canada, where laws prohibiting assisted suicide were repealed on July 15, 2011, but euthanasia is currently in a legal limbo, while in Ireland it is illegal to actively contribute to a person`s death, but it is not illegal to remove life support if the person or legal guardian requests it. The latter do not aim at death, but at avoiding suffering in life while death comes. Assisted suicide is another form of euthanasia, it is called the action of a doctor©, a group of doctors©or others who limit themselves to giving the patient the means to©cause death himself, given a very serious medical condition in which death is a better option.
than to stay alive. Belgium: Euthanasia has been possible in the country since 2002. Belgian law is more extensive and detailed than Dutch law. In this case, it does not regulate assisted suicide. A commission evaluates each case in which physicians, lawyers and organizations dedicated to the care of terminally ill patients are present. Belgium was the first country to euthanize a minor. Every year, around 2,000 people in Belgium resort to euthanasia. Most cases occur between the ages of 80 and 89. The country passed a law on palliative care, euthanasia and assisted suicide in 2009. It can only be used in people over the age of 18 ± with an incurable disease that causes excruciating and constant pain with no hope of improvement.
Switzerland has allowed assisted suicide since the forties of the last century. Hence the existence of organizations that help foreigners from Italy, France or Spain to face their demands to “die with dignity”. In Italy and France, the legislation is similar to that of Spain and euthanasia is prohibited. Euthanasia and assisted suicide remain controversial issues in many countries; So far, both practices are only legal in three countries: Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. What is not allowed in Switzerland, Germany or Austria is active euthanasia, but indirectly or passively, as long as the patient has expressed this will. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are allowed, with a minimum age of 12 years ± (up to 18 years, the consent of legal representatives is mandatory). “Unbearable suffering without any prospect of improvement” is necessary. To use it, it is imperative that a doctor informs the patient of the diagnosis and prognosis, and that another doctor©is consulted to confirm that the requirements are met. In the event of mental illness, a third doctor©or psychiatrist must be involved. In Belgium©, the practice of euthanasia of minors has been legal since 2014.
In Colombia, this has been theoretically possible since 2017, but there are still no cases where this right has been made effective due to incurable diseases. Official data show that the number of euthanasia cases has increased more or less continuously since 2002, reaching 6361 in 2019. These cases represent only a small portion of all deaths, but have doubled from just under 2% in 2002 to just over 4% in 2019. [13] [14] Given the recent initiative submitted to the First Committee of the Colombian Chamber with the Law on the Regulation of Euthanasia, it is important to know © in which countries other than Colombia the procedure is legal.