Bulletin 2: Terminology and Language

10th March 2008

At Dying With Dignity Victoria (DWDV) we encourage people of all opinions to use respectful rather than provocative or ambiguous language. The upcoming Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008 does not use the expression Voluntary Euthanasia, but rather, the expression Physician Assisted Dying. Let me explain.

There are three reasons why the expression Voluntary Euthanasia is loaded and volatile:

1. As soon as you have said the word euthanasia, many people have forgotten you said the word voluntary before it. False fears of involuntary euthanasia and eugenics arise—and neither act is permitted by the Bill.
2. Euthanasia is often taken to be something that Person A (doctor) does to Person B (patient). However, the Bill requires that the request for and consumption of a prescription drug is something Person B (patient) does for themselves, with strict safeguards.
3. It is common in Western society to "ask for volunteers", for example to seek philanthropic help with a good cause. Of course, asking for volunteers in the context of dying is entirely inappropriate, and the Bill prohibits such a request or influence.

In addition, the Bill does not use the expression suicide. Suicide is irrational, often hasty, and regrettable. However, a patient suffering intolerably with no realistic chance of improvement can make a careful and rational decision to die peacefully. Ninety four percent (94%) of Victorian doctors agree that such a request can be reasonable.¹

Under these circumstances, we believe that it would be provocative and demeaning to apply the word suicide to such sufferers who carefully choosing to die peacefully and with medical assistance as the only acceptable form of relief from intolerable suffering. In fact, the Bill itself stipulates that such a death shall not be construed as a suicide.

The bill instead uses the expression Physician Assisted Dying (PAD).

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¹  D A Neil, C A J Coady, J Thompson and H Kuhse, Journal of Medical Ethics 2007;33:721-725. More here...

Next bulletin: But do Victorians actually believe Physician Assisted Dying (PAD) should be available?