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N u m b e r 165 August 2015

On July 17, the Canadian government appointed an expert panel to examine the Supreme Court of Canada’s assisted suicide decision, to consult the public and to hear from in-terested organizations.

The expert panel is comprised of Dr Harvey Chochinov (chair), a psychiatrist and palliative care ex-pert, Catherine Frazee, a disabil-ity rights leader and past co-direc-tor of disability studies at Ryerson University and Benoit Pelletier, a member of the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa.

The government officially called the election on August 2 for an October 19 election day. Soon after, the expert panel announced that they will continue to examine data and consult the public, but they would not hold “official consul-tations” until after October 19.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is urging groups and individuals to submit their comments and con-cerns to the consultation. The euthanasia lobby is also ur-ging their members to submit comments.

The expert panel established a consultation website that en-ables you to sign up to receive notifications and to submit a 200 - 500 word document for the consultation.

Please submit your comments and concerns to the expert panel’s consultation.

For talking points or more information on the consultation contact EPC at: info@epcc.ca or call: 1-877-439-3348.

The expert panel has started Consultation oN legislative options

The 2015 Euthanasia Symposium is at the Best Western - Ville Marie Hotel and Suites in Montréal, QC on Sat-urday October 31 from 9 am - 5 pm. Book your room by calling: 1-800-361-7791.

We have organized the Euthanasia Symposium in collabora-tion with the Physicians Alliance Against Euthanasia and Living with Dignity Québec.

Registration is $50. Simultaneous translation is available.

Speakers include:

Dr Balfour Mount, the Father of Palliative Care in Canada, Dr Margaret Cottle, Palliative Care Physician and VP of EPC, Dr Patrick Vinay, Former Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montréal, Dr Catherine Ferrier, Geriatrician

and President, Physicians Alli-ance Against Euthanasia, Amy Hasbrouck, Director, Toujours Vivant - Not Dead Yet Canada, Dr Will Johnston, Family Phys-ician and Chair of EPC - BC, Nic Steenhout, Former Director, Living with Dignity Québec, Jen Romnes, shares her story about caring for her mother, and Alex Schadenberg, Execu-tive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The 2015 Euthanasia Symposium will be an excellent, up-beat and educational experience. Interested individuals, leaders and academics will all gain pertinent information.

To register contact Euthanasia Prevention Coalition at 1-877-439-3348 or info@epcc.ca

Dr Harvey Chochinov

EPC National Symposium

The consultation website is in English and French at:

www.ep-ce.caSign up to receive notifications:

www.ep-ce.ca/en/homeSubmit your concerns:

www.ep-ce.ca/en/document-submission/

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter – 165 – August 20152

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published a study on July 28, 2015, examining 100 requests for euthanasia for psychiatric rea-sons in Belgium.

Four of the six study authors are connected to the euthanasia clin-ic in Belgium. Wim Distlemans operates the euthanasia clinic in Belgium. Lieve Thienpont, Kurt Audenaert, and Peter P De Deyn work with the euthanasia clinic.

Distelmans has been connected to many of the high pro-file euthanasia deaths, including Godelieva De Troyer, the mother of Tom Mortier.

Thienport is the psychiatrist who approved the euthanasia in the recent story of “Laura,” the 24-year-old physically healthy Belgian woman who lives with suicidal thoughts. Thienport was the psychiatrist who examined the 100 people who requested euthanasia for psychiatric reasons.

The study examines 100 consecutive requests for eutha-nasia at a psychiatric out-patient clinic between October, 2007 and December, 2011. The analysis of the data closed in December, 2012. The data states:

• 77 euthanasia requests were made by woman, 23 were men,

• 48 of the requests were approved, 35 died by eutha-nasia,

• 1 died by palliative sedation (sedation with with-drawal of water),

• the average age was 47,

• 58 were depressed, 50 had a personality disorder, 12 were autistic, 13 had post-traumatic stress disorder, 11hadanxietydisorder,and10hadaneatingdisorder.

The study first promotes the safeguards in the Belgian euthanasia law and explains how the safeguards for eutha-nasia for psychiatric reasons have tighter guidelines. This section of the study takes great effort to convince the reader that euthanasia is carefully done in Belgium.

The study then examines the data from the reported eutha-nasia deaths, indicating that the number of euthanasia deaths

has been increasing in Belgium from 742 (2004/2005) to 2086 (2010/2011).

A recent study in the NEJM (March 19, 2015) found that, in 2013, euthanasia represented 4.6% of all deaths in the Flan-ders region of Belgium. The official reports indicate that euthanasia represented 2.4% of all deaths in the Flanders region of Belgium in 2013. Therefore, almost half of the euthanasia deaths go unreported.

The study continues to suggest that the Belgian euthanasia law is careful. The study states:

Legally, the physician is required to discuss the wishes of the patient with the relatives named by the patient. Consent from the relatives is not required, and the at-tending physician needs the patient’s permission to in-form family members of the euthanasia request.

This statement may be a response to complaints by families. Tom Morti-er was shocked when his depressed mother died by lethal injection, when her family was not informed of her impending death.

People with disabilities are more likely to die by euthanasia for psychiatric reasons.

Of the 100 requests for euthanasia for psychiatric reasons, 81 of them were not employed (8 were retired, 73 were receiving dis-ability allowances or retired early), 14 were working or on a temporary leave, 1 was a student, 1 was in prison, and 1 was on welfare. Primarily, these were people with dis-abilities who were receiving a disability allowance.

The study does not examine whether the person had physic-al disabilities but it indicates that people with disabilities disproportionately die by euthanasia for psychiatric reasons.

Euthanasia as “treatment” for psychiatric reasons.

The study states that:

• 38 people who requested euthanasia for psychiatric reasons were referred for further testing. Out of these, 17 of them were approved for lethal injection and 10 died by euthanasia.

• 62 people who requested euthanasia for psychiatric reasons were not referred for

Study: 100 requests for euthanasia for psychiatric reasons in Belgium

Alex Schadenberg

See Study page 4 ...

Tom Mortier

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of EPC

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter – 165 – August 2015 3

In September 2008, Lady Warnock, one of Britain’s lead-ing moral philosophers stated in an interview that:

Pensioners in mental decline are “wasting people’s lives” because of the care they require and should be allowed to opt for euthanasia even if they are not in pain.

She insisted that there was “nothing wrong” with people being helped to die for the sake of their loved ones or so-ciety.

She hoped people will soon be “licensed to put others down” if they are unable to look after themselves.

The recent case of a physically healthy 75-year-old retired British nurse who died by assisted suicide in Switzerland further opens the door to pressure on older people to die when she stated in her blog:Ihavealwayssuspectedthatanidealshelflifeformanypeople is about 70 years.

I am not a psychiatrist or a mental health professional, but Gil Pharoah, even though she states that she is not depressed, seems likely to be depressed when she stated in her blog:IcannolongerwalkthedistancesIusedtoenjoysothehappyhoursspentexploringthestreetsofLondonarejust a memory now. IcannotdothegardenwiththeenthusiasmIoncehadand I find fifteen minutes is more than enough timespent weeding or digging. Even that short time can re-sult in a day on the sofa or a visit to the osteopath. My tinnitus is a big distraction. My hearing loss is helped by using hearing aids, but the tinnitus seems to enjoy competition, and seems to increase in volume, to meet the increasedexternalnoise, so I find it impos-sible to talk in a group of more than four people, and often have to activate the subtitles on the TV. Idonothaveanydesiretotravelanymore–thereisnowhere Iwant to visit enough to spendhours inanaeroplane or airport. IhavealwayslovedcookingbutIfinditaneffortnowand prefer to have a couple of friends for lunch rather than a large late dinner party. Not to mention the hun-dred and one other minor irritations like being unable to stand for long, carry a heavy shopping bag, run for abus,rememberthenamesofbooksIhaveread,oramreading, or their authors. AndIhaveanumberofachesandpainswhichrestrictmy pleasure in life generally although none are totally incapacitating.

John Southall, Pharoah’s life partner, stated to ITVnews that:Ihadplentyofnotice,soit’snotlikeitisperhapsformostcoupleswhenonediesunexpectedly.Gill has always said she would never grow old. Her longest-standing friends say when she was in her thir-tiesshesaidfiftywouldbeenough.Andthenshesaidastimewenton,sixty.Thenitbecameseventy.Andshegotto seventy and started taking it more seriously.

These statements represent a dreariness towards living that is likely related to depression. Depression symptoms and warning signs include:

• Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness,

• Loss of interest in daily activities,

• Loss of energy,

Pharoah also exhibited signs of suicidal ideation, a symp-tom of depression by exhibiting:

• An unusual pre-occupation with death and dying,

• Talking about killing or harming one-self,

• Saying this like “everyone would be better off without me” or “I want out”,

• A sudden switch from being extremely depressed to acting calm and happy.

Pharoah did not need suicide assistance. She needed good psychological care for what was likely a case of depression.

Healthy woman who dies by assisted suicide in Switzerland was likely depressed

Protecting People Pamphlets

The Protecting People from Eutha-nasia and Assisted Suicide pamph-let is updated based on the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision and ref-erences new studies on the abuses of euthanasia and assisted suicide in jurisdictions where they are legal.

The Protecting People pamphlet is designed to counter the false ideas and the intentional confusion that

surround the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The Protecting People pamphlet can be ordered for $25 for 100 copies or $100 for 500 copies (plus postage).

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of EPC

Harry Lamb Sales Representative

Sutton Group Preferred RealtyLondon ON • 519-471-8888

Place Your Ad Here Call Our Office

Reach Our ReadersLondon ON • 1-877-439-3348

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In 2014, 126 people reportedly died by assisted suicide in Washington State. This is up by 6% from 119 assisted sui-cide deaths in 2013, which was a 43% increase from 83 assisted suicide deaths in 2012.

According to the annual report, there were 176 lethal pre-scriptions resulting in: 126 assisted suicide deaths, 17 deaths from other causes, 27 deaths from an unknown cause and 6 people remained alive. The annual report states that they do not know whether or not the 27 deaths from “unknown causes” resulted from assisted suicide.

In the Netherlands up to 23% of the assisted deaths are not reported and in Belgium the number is higher.

Thus, it would not be surprising if 20% of the assisted sui-cide deaths in Washington State are not reported.

Broader types of illnesses are leading to assisted suicide. The Washington State report indicated that assisted suicide

from other illnesses tripled. The report did not list the other illnesses, but in Ore-gon other illnesses include diabetes.

The “safeguard” restricting lethal drugs to people who are terminally ill (within 6

months of death) may not be followed. The annual report stated that: 1 person in 2009, 1 person in 2010, 1 person in 2011 and 4 people in 2013 who received lethal drugs may be alive today.

It is dangerous, when the status of the participant is unknown, then the status of the lethal drugs is also unknown.

These people may not have died by assisted suicide, but how safe is it for people to have lethal drugs in their homes?

The Seattle Weekly reported that there were more women than men who died by assisted suicide. According to the an-nual report 57% of the assisted suicide deaths were women.

When Jeannette Hall asked for assisted suicide 15 year ago in Oregon but received supportive care, she instead chose to receive treatment for cancer rather than lethal drugs. Jeannette Hall is happy to be alive today.

Assisted suicide is a form of abandonment. It is a tragic end for people seeking help. When people receive good end-of-life care (physical, psychological and emotional care), they do not seek death by lethal drugs.

further testing. Out of these, 31 were approved for lethal injection and 25 died by euthanasia.

• 35 of 48 people who were approved for lethal injection died by euthanasia. The 13 people, in this group, who did not die by euthanasia, 8 changed their mind, 2 withdrew their application based on family response, 2 died by suicide and 1 was in prison.

• 65 people did not die by euthanasia. By the end of 2012, 57 were alive, 48 of the 57 cases were on hold based on the person receiving therapy or not needing therapy, 9 of these cases the euthanasia request was still being considered.

• of the 35 people who died by euthanasia for psychi-atric reasons, 14 of them were lethally injected by a doctor at the euthanasia clinic.

Psychological suffering?

The study concludes by proving that the concept of “unbear-able suffering” is subjective and undefined. The study states:

A literature review made clear that the concept of ‘un-bearablesuffering’hasnotyetbeendefinedadequately,andthatviewsonthisconceptareinastateofflux.Itis generally accepted that this concept is considered to be subjective, dependent on personal values, and that it must be deter.

...from Study page 2

Washington State annual report: Assisted suicide deaths continue to rise