This book provides a detailed account of four regimes of assisted death for which there is a substantial body of data as well as observational research: The Netherlands and Belgium have legalized both voluntary euthanasia as well as physician-assisted suicide; the state of Oregon allows physician-assisted suicide; and in Switzerland assisted suicide can be provided by non-physicians. For each regime the book describes the unique cultural, political, and legal context in which the legalization of assisted death has taken place. It analyzes problem areas that have developed, such as the issue of ... More

This book provides a detailed account of four regimes of assisted death for which there is a substantial body of data as well as observational research: The Netherlands and Belgium have legalized both voluntary euthanasia as well as physician-assisted suicide; the state of Oregon allows physician-assisted suicide; and in Switzerland assisted suicide can be provided by non-physicians. For each regime the book describes the unique cultural, political, and legal context in which the legalization of assisted death has taken place. It analyzes problem areas that have developed, such as the issue of assisted death for patients with mental suffering or the termination of life in pediatric cases, and the effectiveness of each system of regulation is assessed. While accurate factual information cannot settle the moral debate over assisted death, it nevertheless is a precondition of any well-founded argument. The conclusion discusses the lessons that can be learned from the experience of these four regimes, and analyzes a model statute for physician-assisted suicide that has been proposed for the United States.