This new unpublished paper does a nice job of summarizing the state of assisted dying around the world. But I especially appreciate the author's comments on VSED.
"VSED, especially with palliative care support, overcomes many though not all of the principled objections to AD. In addition, other than requiring an assessment of decision-making capacity (if healthcare / palliative care support is engaged by the patient) it dispenses with eligibility criteria related to diagnosis, prognosis, suffering and citizenship."
"However, the lack of widespread familiarity and discussion of this topic; together with fear, stigmatisation and the perceived or actual risk of criminal sanctions for aiding and abetting suicide; and the absence of formal recognition and oversight, limit access to, and hence discriminate against, patients, who might reasonably choose this pathway."
"How VSED with palliative care support is best incorporated into cases currently outside the eligibility criteria for AD should be an active debate and is arguably a valuable component of the rebalancing dialogue surrounding death."
Just today, I am finalizing a presentation about this topic and came across this. Geri/Pal physician & Bioethicist in training.
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