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07: More Terminology
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Sound Medical Practice requires that medical aid in dying, in common
with all medical treatment, is, as far as practicable, only provided with
the informed consent of, and in the interests of the patient.
When the patient is unable to provide informed consent, sound medical
practice requires reference to an advance directive (living will) if one
exists, to the medical agent if one has been appointed and to the next
of kin if available, with the objective of discovering the patient's wishes
as far as practicable.
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The term medical aid in dying covers all situations in which a hopelessly or terminally
ill person may receive help in dying from a medical practitioner.
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The full range of medical aid in dying comprises:
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(a) Palliative measures designed to keep the patient as comfortable as
possible until death occurs more or less naturally;
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(b) Withdrawing or withholding treatment that is unduly burdensome and/or
futile even though this may hasten death;
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(c) Providing medication designed to relieve suffering even though a foreseeable
consequence is to hasten death;
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(d) Supplying medication to allow a patient to bring about his or her own
death quickly and peacefully under medical supervision;
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(e) Administering medication designed to bring about a quick and peaceful
death at the request of the patient.
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Items (a), (b) and (c) are legal and recognised as sound medical practice.
Items (d) and (e) are forms of voluntary euthanasia and illegal.
Many doctors and other professionals as well as a majority of the general
public believe that hopelessly and terminally ill patients should be free to choose from
the full range of medical aid in dying.
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