Doctor behind first legal voluntary assisted death, Territorians with lived experience welcome laws
The Northern Territory in Australia has passed new voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation, allowing terminally ill patients to access end-of-life care. However, critics like Dr. Philip Nitschke argue the law is too conservative due to a requirement that patients must have less than 12 months to live.
Why it matters
This legislation marks a significant shift in Australian medical ethics and legal policy regarding the right to die.
VAD passed in parliament on Thursday night after all NT government cabinet members, and a majority of backbenchers, voted the bill through. ( ABC News: Pete Garnish )
Dr Philip Nitschke, the first doctor to help a terminally-ill patient access legal voluntary assisted dying, has welcomed the NT passing VAD laws.
He has questioned the NT government's decision to restrict VAD to only people who are found, by a doctor, to have less than 12 months to live.
A terminal cancer patient in Darwin says doctors cannot tell him when he is expected to die, so he doesn't think he'll be eligible for VAD.
Link copied Share Share article Thirty years ago, Dr Philip Nitschke helped terminal cancer patient Bob Dent to die in Darwin under the world's first voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation.
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