Intentional hastening of death through medication : a case series analysis of Victorian deaths prior to the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017

Background Voluntary assisted dying is lawful in Victoria in limited circumstances and commences in Western Australia in mid-2021. There is evidence that in rare cases, unlawful assisted dying practices occur in Australia. Aims To determine whether assisted dying practices occurred in Victoria in the 12 months prior to the commencement of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Vic) ('VAD Act'), and to examine features of any identified cases. Methods Exploratory case series of adult patients in Victoria who died between May 2018 and 18 June 2019 as a result of medication administered with the... Mehr ...