The gold standard for human experimentation is a randomly-assigned double-blind placebo-controlled study. Unfortunately, organising such a study to assess the effectiveness of the lethal medications used for executions in the United States and for physician-assisted suicide (PAS) has significant ethical issues. We need to rely upon historical data.
Continue Reading → Will assisted suicide always provide a quick and gentle death?
There is a disturbing trend emerging in the zeitgeist. Today’s society asks us to support suicide in circumstances involving serious illness, disability, and even advanced age. Meanwhile, despite an increase in suicide rates, the intensity of suicide prevention campaigns has declined.
Continue Reading → How the media promote (some) suicides
A study, published this month in the Journal of Pain and Symptom management, found almost three quarters of the patients surveyed (73%) had a spike in brain activity at the time of death.
Continue Reading → Dying patients study reveals ‘brain surge’ in final moments of life
Oversimplified media reporting on the complex arguments for and against legalising assisted dying is damaging our ability to hold a real debate, a study led by a Brunel University London researcher argues.
Continue Reading → Assisted dying study finds common ground in complex debate
Google’s search engine appears to be censoring prompts for “physician assisted suicide” in favour of “physician assisted death”.
Continue Reading → Googling Physician Assisted Suicide