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Euthanasia, assisted suicide legalized in Spain

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


  • On Thursday, a euthanasia bill was voted into approval by the Spain’s left wing coalition-backed government, in a 198-138 vote.
  • But the bill, which is forecasted to pass the Senate approval, will still take effect three months following its publication in a government newspaper.
  • The law states that patients who wish to end their lives will have to request four times before undergoing the procedure to die, and also requires a medical team to oversee the whole process.

A bill that will permit physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia for long-suffering patients of incurable diseases had been voted for approval by Spain’s parliament on Thursday.

“As a society, we cannot remain impassive when faced with the intolerable pain that many people suffer,” Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa told lawmakers.

Supported by the country’s left-wing coalition government as well as several other parties, the bill was passed in 198-138 vote where the conservative Popular Party and the Vox party voted “No”.

The bill will now face a vote in the Senate where it is widely expected to pass. However, the law of the lower house states that it won’t be applied yet, not until three months after its publication in the government gazette.

Similarly, Iberian Peninsula neighbor Portugal, has also approved bills in February to legalize euthanasia. Though the bills have yet to take effect and may face resistance from Portugal’s president.

Groups nationwide supporting the legalization led rallies to celebrate the passing of the bill while a smaller protest group convened outside Madrid’s lower house of parliament to air their objections.

According to the bill, medical professionals in both public and private facilities are allowed to help patients who wish to die on four different occasions during the process, which can last more than a month. A medical team led by a physician and another doctor must oversee the process and approve requests.

The law also states that the first two requests must be in written form and given two weeks apart. After consulting a doctor, the patient must reiterate that request a third time before proceeding with the procedure that will end his or her life. Only a Spanish citizen or resident of adult age and can make rational decisions is qualified to exercise his right to die.

Additionally, any medical worker can refuse to participate in the process on grounds of belief.

Euthanasia in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland, is legal and involves the doctor directly injecting fatal drugs to patients.

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Medically-assisted suicide is also allowed in some U.S. states where patients under medical supervision are allowed to administer the lethal drug themselves.

Source: Associated Press News

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