LAWS IN NETHERLANDS

Netherlandsbecame the first country to legalise euthanasia

and assisted suicide. It imposed a strict set of conditions: the
patient must be suffering unbearable pain, their illness must be
incurable, and the demand must be made in "full
consciousness" by the patient.

LAWS IN FRANCE

In France Euthanasia and assisted suicide are against the law.

The president, Franois Hollande, promised to look at the "right
to die with dignity" but has has always denied any intention of
legalising euthanasia or assisted suicide.

LAWS IN BELGIUM

TheBelgianparliament legalised euthanasia on 28 May 2002.

A survey published in 2010 reported that those who died from euthanasia (compared with
other deaths) were more often younger, male, cancer patients and more often died in their
homes. In almost all cases, unbearable physical suffering were reported. Euthanasia for
nonterminal patients was rare.There have been about 1,400 cases a year since the law
was introduced, and a record 1,807 cases were recorded in 2013.

In December 2013, the Belgian Senate voted in favour of extending its euthanasia law to
terminally ill children. Conditions imposed on children seeking euthanasia are that "the
patient must be conscious of their decision and understand the meaning of euthanasia",
"the request must have been approved by the child's parents and medical team", "their
illness must be terminal" and "they must be in great pain, with no available treatment to
alleviate their distress"]Apsychologistmust also determine the patient's maturity to make
the decision. The amendment emphasizes that the patient's request be voluntary.

LAWS IN JAPAN

TheJapanesegovernment has no official laws on the status of euthanasia and

theSupreme Court of Japanhas never ruled on the matter.

In the case of passive euthanasia, three conditions must be met:

the patient must be suffering from an incurable disease, and in the final stages of the disease from
which he/she is unlikely to make a recovery;

the patient must give express consent to stopping treatment, and this consent must be obtained and
preserved prior to death. If the patient is not able to give clear consent, their consent may be
determined from a pre-written document such as aliving willor the testimony of the family;

the patient may be passively euthanized by stopping medical treatment, chemotherapy, dialysis,
artificial respiration, blood transfusion, IV drip, etc.

For active euthanasia, four conditions must be met:

the patient must be suffering from unbearable physical pain; death must be inevitable and drawing
near;

the patient must give consent. (Unlike passive euthanasia, living wills and family consent will not
suffice. the physician must have (ineffectively) exhausted all other measures of pain relief.

LAWS IN USA

Oregon was the first US state to legalise assisted suicide. The law took
effect in 1997, and allows for terminally ill, mentally competent patients
with less than six months to live to request a prescription for life-ending
medication. More than a decade later, Washington state approved a
measure that was modelled on Oregon's law. And last year, the
Vermont legislature passed a similar law. Court decisions rendered the
practice legal in Montana and, most recently, in New Mexico.

LAWS IN INDIA AND ISRAEL

In India, Passive euthanasiais legal in India.On 7 March 2011 theSupreme Court of

Indialegalised passive euthanasia by means of the withdrawal oflife supportto
patients in apermanent vegetative stateForms ofActive euthanasia, including the
administration of lethal compounds, are illegal

TheIsraeliPenal Law forbids causing the death of another and specifically forbids
shortening the life of another. Active euthanasia is forbidden by both Israeli law and
Jewish law. Passive euthanasia is forbidden by Jewish law but has been accepted in
some cases under Israeli law.In 2005, proposals were put forward to allow passive
euthanasia to be administered using a switch mechanism similar toSabbath clocks. In
2006, the Steinberg Commission was set up to look into whether life and death issues
could be rethought in the context of Jewish law, which suggested that hospitals could
set up committees to determine whether patients would be given passive euthanasia.