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E-raamat: Voluntary Euthanasia and the Common Law New edition [Oxford Scholarship Online e-raamatud]

(Associate Professor, Faculty of Commerce and Law, University of Tasmania)
  • Formaat: 650 pages
  • Ilmumisaeg: 28-Sep-2000
  • Kirjastus: Oxford University Press
  • ISBN-13: 9780198298687
  • Oxford Scholarship Online e-raamatud
  • Raamatu hind pole hetkel teada
  • Formaat: 650 pages
  • Ilmumisaeg: 28-Sep-2000
  • Kirjastus: Oxford University Press
  • ISBN-13: 9780198298687
Margaret Otlowski tackles the complex and controversial issue of active voluntary euthanasia and argues convincingly for a reform of the criminal law prohibition in common law jurisdictions. Otlowski critically examines the strict legal situation on euthanasia, which treats medically assisted dying as murder, and contrasts it with the position in practice. By highlighting the leniency shown to the few doctors who have actually been prosecuted for assisting their patients to die, she points to the discrepancy between the law and medical practice and argues for reform. The many arguments raised in the euthanasia debate are considered, as are steps taken towards reform in the UK, USA, Canada, and the Netherlands (where active euthanasia in now openly practised).
Table of Cases
xxxiii
Table of Statutes
xxxviii
Introduction 1(11)
Euthanasia Under the Criminal Law
12(44)
Introduction
12(2)
Doctors' Criminal Liability for Acts Which Cause Death
14(8)
Introduction
14(1)
The Acts
15(1)
The Intention Requirement
15(1)
The Causation Requirement
16(2)
Irrelevance of Patient's Terminal Condition
18(2)
Irrelevance of Patient's Consent
20(1)
Irrelevance of Motive
21(1)
Doctors' Criminal Liability for Omissions Which Cause Death
22(11)
Introduction
22(1)
The Omission
23(1)
Attitude of the Law to Omissions and the Duty Requirement
23(2)
The Imposition of a Legal Duty to Act
25(3)
The Causation Requirement
28(3)
Mens Rea for the Crime of Murder
31(2)
Irrelevance of Motive and the Terminal Condition of the Patient
33(1)
Legal Effect of a Patient's Right to Refuse Treatment on a Doctor's Duty to Treat
33(23)
Scope of a Doctor's Duty to Treat
33(2)
The Patient's Common Law Right to Refuse Treatment
35(10)
Legal Effect of Patient's Refusal of Treatment: Introduction
45(2)
The Case Law
47(2)
The Position Under the Criminal Codes
49(5)
Conclusion
54(2)
Suicide and Assisted Suicide
56(71)
Introduction
56(1)
Assisting Suicide: The Legal Requirements
57(29)
A Doctor's Liability for Active Involvement in a Patient's Suicide
60(1)
Refusal of Treatment as Suicide and the Legal Position of Doctors
61(1)
Suicide by Omission
62(3)
Refusal of Treatment as Suicide?
65(8)
Legal Implications of Recognizing Refusal of Treatment as Suicide
73(13)
Constitutional Challenges to Assisting Suicide Legislation
86(41)
Conclusion
124(3)
The Position in Practice: Doctors' Practices and the Law Applied
127(60)
Introduction
127(3)
Patients' Requests and Doctors' Practices
130(10)
Active Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide: Patients' Requests
130(4)
Active Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide: Doctors' Practices
134(4)
Other Forms of Active Assistance in the Termination of Life
138(2)
The Law in Practice
140(8)
Prosecutions of Doctors for Active Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide
140(8)
Discrepancies Between the Criminal Law Principles and the Law in Practice
148(4)
No Guaranteed Consistency in the Application of the Law
149(1)
The Law is Brought into Disrepute
149(1)
Lack of Legal Precedent and Medical Guidance
150(1)
Patients' Rights are Undermined
151(1)
Problems with the Characterization of Certain Aspects of Medical Practice
152(35)
Withdrawal of Life-Support
152(18)
Administration of Drugs for the Relief of Pain and Other Symptoms
170(15)
Conclusion
185(2)
The Euthanasia Debate
187(70)
Introduction
187(1)
The Case For Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia
188(24)
Self-Determination: An Argument from Liberty
189(2)
The Patient's Right to Refuse Treatment: Is there a Morally Valid Distinction between Passive and Active Euthanasia?
191(12)
Prevention of Cruelty: An Argument from Mercy
203(1)
Promotion of Human Dignity
204(2)
What is Morally Right Should be Made Legally Permissible
206(1)
Formalize Current Practices
207(3)
Public Demand and Support for Active Voluntary Euthanasia
210(1)
The Case For Legalization: An Evaluation
211(1)
The Case Against Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia
212(37)
Doctrinal Arguments Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia
213(5)
Practical Arguments Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia
218(30)
Evaluation of the Case For and Against Active Voluntary Euthanasia
248(1)
The Legal Philosophers' Debate: The Role of the Criminal Law
249(8)
The Libertarian Premise: The Prevention of Harm
249(2)
The Present Limits of Consent
251(1)
Relationship Between Law and Morality
252(2)
Relationship Between Law and Public Opinion
254(2)
Conclusion
256(1)
The Changing Climate For Reform
257(76)
Introduction
257(1)
Public Opinion
257(11)
United Kingdom
257(2)
USA
259(2)
Canada
261(2)
Australia
263(1)
Evaluation of Opinion Poll Results
264(4)
The Voluntary Euthanasia Movement
268(24)
Organizational Support for the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia
268(21)
Increased Media Coverage, and Public Figures in Support
289(1)
Organized Opposition to the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia
290(2)
Signs of Change from Within the Medical Profession
292(41)
United Kingdom
295(10)
USA
305(9)
Canada
314(4)
Australia
318(7)
International Developments: The Appleton International Conference
325(1)
Changes Within the Medical Profession: An Evaluation
326(5)
Conclusion
331(2)
Moves Towards Reform
333(58)
Introduction
333(1)
United Kingdom
333(6)
Legislative Developments
334(2)
Official Inquiries
336(3)
Australia
339(23)
USA
362(16)
Legislative Developments
363(11)
Government Inquiries
374(4)
Canada
378(9)
International Developments
387(4)
Council of Europe
388(1)
European Parliament
388(1)
Conclusion
389(2)
The Netherlands
391(65)
Introduction
391(1)
The Legal Position in the Netherlands
392(18)
The Dutch Penal Code
392(1)
Jurisprudential Developments
393(16)
Evaluation of Dutch Case Law Developments
409(1)
Position of the Royal Dutch Medical Association
410(6)
Institutional Policies and Procedures
416(1)
The Governmental Response to Active Voluntary Euthanasia in the Netherlands
416(3)
The Netherlands State Commission on Euthanasia
416(3)
Moves Towards Reform
419(4)
The Remmelink Report
423(18)
Background to the Report
423(4)
Report Findings and Recommendations
427(4)
Evaluation of the Remmelink Committee's Inquiry
431(4)
Expanding Boundaries?
435(6)
Government's Response to the Remmelink Report
441(3)
Arguments for the Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia in the Netherlands
444(4)
Why the Netherlands?
448(2)
Evaluation of the Netherlands' Model: Suitable for Export?
450(6)
Conclusion
454(2)
Options For Reform
456(38)
Introduction
456(3)
Reform Options
459(1)
Mercy Killing
460(4)
Legalization of Doctor-Assisted Suicide
464(3)
Legalization of Active Voluntary Euthanasia
467(25)
Conclusion
492(2)
Conclusion 494(26)
Appendix:
Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT)
503(10)
Rights of the Terminally Ill Regulations
513(7)
Bibliography 520(33)
Index 553


Dr Margaret Otlowski is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Commerce and Law, University of Tasmania. She has acted as a consultant for various government working parties on issues relating to the ethics of health care. She has filled the position of Chair for the Tasmania Ethics Committee (Human Experimentation) since 1993.