A Swedish woman who was paralysed died Wednesday after her respirator was unplugged, in the country's first case of euthanasia since the law was relaxed last month, a Stockholm hospital said.
"The patient who asked the National Health Board to die, died at 5:33 pm (1533 GMT) after her respirator was unplugged," Annakarin Svenningsson, a spokeswoman for Stockholm's Danderyd hospital told AFP.
Sweden's health authority last month authorised passive euthanasia, whereby patients may request the termination of their treatment knowing that this will lead to their death.
The ruling followed a request for clarification by doctors, as Swedish law allowed for patients to refuse treatment, but assisted suicide --including shutting off respirators -- was classified as a crime.
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