Daily Mail, UK. Read about it HERE.

In 1996, the world’s first euthanasia law saw the light of day in Australia’s Northern Territory (full text of law HERE). It was however repealed the next year. In 1997 Oregon legalised physician-assisted suicide, but banning euthanasia (full text of law HERE). The Netherlands became the first country in the European Union to formally legalize euthanasia in April 2002 (full text of law HERE). Belgium got a euthanasia law later the same year (full text of law HERE). Luxembourg's euthanasia bill has passed a first reading and will become law if it also passes a second reading.

On February 19th 2008, the Luxembourg Parliament voted on the following:

• The bill concerning palliative care includes provision for living wills as well as giving people the right to receive 40hours paid leave to accompany a person at the end of their life. The first bill on palliative care was submitted to parliament by the Ministry of Family in 2004. It was rejected, as was the revised bill presented by the Ministry of Health on 2006. The current bill was passed unaminously.
  
  
• The first bill proposing euthanasia was presented to the Luxembourg’s parliament in 2002 by two MP’s (Jean Huss-Green Party and Lydie Err-Socialist Party) but was not voted on. The latest proposal was passed, 30 for, 26 against and 3 abstentions.

In the middle of 2007 there was a lot of pressure from both MP’s to accept both proposals but despite a great deal of media interest in euthanasia there was a real lack of objective information.

In the Luxembourg parliament it is necessary for a bill to become law after two readings and votes. On March 4th 2008 it was decided by the Council of State that both bills have to pass the second reading together and that ammendments have to be made to the proposals on euthanasia for the two bills to be compatible.

This is not the official position of Omega 90 (www.omega90.lu), but a statement, as objective as possible, from a nurse, engaged in palliative care in her country and as an EAPC individual member.

Marie-France Liefgen
Omega 90
Responsable des Formations
138, rue Adolphe Fischer
L-1521 Luxembourg
Tel. 29 77 89 - 53
mariefranceliefgen@omega90.lu

Once more the issues of euthanasia and palliative care appear "together", as it were. Whilst a large majority of palliative care health workers opposes euthanasia, as does the EAPC (1), still the issue has the "side effect" of an increased focus on palliative care which is welcome. Should this euthanasia bill eventually become law in Luxembourg, doctors in that country need to make up their minds about whether to participate or not in assisted dying and, if they do decide to participate, in which role and to what extent. This pressing topic is dealt with in a recent publication that looks at the situation in The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom and Norway (2, 3).

1. Materstvedt LJ, Clark D, Ellershaw J, Førde R, Gravgaard A-M, Müller-Busch HC, Porta i Sales J, Rapin C-H. (2003) Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: a view from an EAPC Ethics Task Force. Palliative Medicine; 17: 97-101. (Download for free HERE)

2. Bosshard G, Broeckaert B, Clark D, Materstvedt LJ, Gordijn B, Müller-Busch HC. (2008) A role for doctors in assisted dying? An analysis of legal regulations and medical professional positions in six European countries. Journal of Medical Ethics; 34: 28-32. (Download for free HERE)

3. Bosshard G. (2008) Sterbehelfer – eine neue Rolle für Europas Ärzteschaft? Schweizerische Ärztezeitung; 10: 406-10. (Download for free HERE)

Lars Johan Materstvedt
Chair, The EAPC Ethics Task Force on Palliative Care and Euthanasia
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts
Trondheim, Norway
www.materstvedt.net