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Q: What are some of the misconceptions about physician-assisted death?

A: If you think of statistics from other countries, people have weird ideas about how this goes. But 80 per cent of patients who ask and receive euthanasia in the Netherlands are people with very advanced cancers. And then there are about 10 to 15 per cent with all other organic diseases (such as ALS), and about five to 10 per cent with mental illness and dementia. The majority is advanced cancer. It’s not about early dementia all the time or people with depression, but of course those are the most difficult cases you can think of.

Q: What perspective has growing up and practising medicine in the Netherlands given you on this subject?

A: I grew up in an environment where this was always in the discussions with your patients and fellow doctors.

It takes time for things to grow into the culture. For example, if you talk now to people in the Netherlands, virtually everybody knows somebody that has requested euthanasia. If you had asked people that question 10 years ago, nobody would know a person who had requested euthanasia … It has grown after all those years from virtually nothing.

Q: What are people’s major fears surrounding physician-assisted death?

A: My sense about what I hear from officials is that there is a general concern about vulnerable people. In my view, that is entirely correct, but everybody is vulnerable. Overall, the worries of the profession and the public might be indeed that vulnerable people receive euthanasia without their full consent.

Q: What would you want the public to know about physician-assisted death?

A: The most important message I would say is think about the end of your life. Talk about it with others and if you have particular feelings or thoughts about this in any way, and an issue or disease comes up, talk with your family and with your physician.

cclancy@postmedia.com

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