Melbourne writer Edel Wignell would rather die than endure any more of the debilitating pain that has dominated her life for 30 years.

"The pain doesn't go away. So I'd rather be dead. I've had a wonderful life, it's not as though I'm depressed," Ms Wignell said.

"I'm 78, nearly 79, I think it's time."

Ms Wignell is not terminally ill, but has what she describes as a relentless and "explosive" pain in her head.

Doctors have diagnosed it as referred pain from arthritis, which began in her hip in 1982 and eventually spread throughout her body.

Ms Wignell wants to be legally allowed to ask a doctor to help her die.

"There are doctors [now] who are willing to assist people to die, and they're brave, they're courageous, and it shouldn't be that way," she said.

"The public are ready, and we've had long enough now that there would be more politicians who would agree with it."

Her plea is among dozens to be examined by a Victorian parliamentary inquiry called "End of Life Choices", which will begin public hearings this week.

Deeply held views about end of life choices

The cross-party committee will investigate whether state legislation adequately allows people to make informed choices about how they manage the end of their lives.

Inquiry chair, Liberal MP Edward O'Donohoe, said the committee would examine everything from palliative care to voluntary euthanasia.

"People have very deeply held views about these issues, I respect that, members of the committee respect that," he said.

"We want to work through those to see what changes, if any, are required in this area."

More than 30 so-called "dying with dignity" bills have been introduced to state and territory parliaments over the past 20 years, mostly without success.

Voluntary euthanasia legislation was passed by the Northern Territory Parliament in 1995, before being overturned by the Federal Parliament in 1997.

In Europe, the practice is legal in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

There are similar laws in the US states of Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont.

Persistent request to die

Opponents of voluntary euthanasia have warned against any such move in Victoria, arguing the focus should be on improving palliative care.

"[Euthanasia] really cannot be made safe," said Paul Russell from the organisation Hope: Preventing Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.

"There is no way that black letter law can ever confine or adequately define all circumstances to the point where there is no risk to any human person," he said.

Rodney Syme, a longtime advocate for physician-assisted dying (PAD) dismissed that view.

He argued that a patient dealing with prolonged and "intolerable" suffering should be able to ask a doctor for life-ending medication.

Dr Syme is confident appropriate safeguards could be established to allow physician-assisted dying. ( ABC News )

He said appropriate safeguards would include ensuring the patient was of sound mind, had been fully informed of their choices, and had made a "persistent request" to die.

"If those relatively simple criteria are met, then I should be able to provide you with a barbituate, nembutal is the best," he said.

"I've been present on a number of occasions when this [the administration of nembutal] has happened and I can only say that it is one of the most profound human experiences that you can have.

"The family are gathered, there is a warmth about it, they are saying goodbye to their loved one, they are sharing in their dying experience and they are sharing in a peaceful experience."

Dr Syme said many people would have witnessed the effectiveness of nembutal when a veterinarian has used the drug to euthanase a family pets.

"You can hold your animal in your arms and say goodbye to the animal as it just goes to sleep," he said.

"People who have had that experience, marvel at it. We can't do this for our own kind."

The End of Life Choices inquiry is due to report to the Victorian Parliament in May 2016.