Uruguay becomes the first Catholic country in Latin America to pass a law that decriminalizes euthanasia. This comes after last week on Wednesday, the Dignified Death bill was passed in the senate with 20 out of 31 legislators present voting in favor. What Is The Dignified Death Bill?The bill allows mentally sound adults in terminal stage of an irreversible disease to opt for the procedure to be performed by a healthcare professional. Uruguay, being a Catholic country, contradictory to many others, has a history of passing socially liberal laws, ahead of other countries, including legalizing marijuana, same-sex marriages, and abortions. The debate on the bill went on for 10 hours, and some onlookers, cried out "murderers" after the bill was passed. Senator Paricia Kramer of the governing leftist coalition said, "Public opinion is asking us to take this on". As per the consulting firm Cifra, about 62% of Uruguayans were already in favor of this legislation, which was originally labelled as the 'euthanasia bill' in Spanish. However, the most opposition came from the Catholic Church. The bill includes a procedure, which will be performed so that the death occurs in a "painless, peaceful, and respectful manner". While many oppose it, those who are living with irreversible diseases, including Beatriz Gellós, a 71-year-old woman who has been living with neurodegenerative ALS for two decades told AFP that the law was "compassionate, very humane", and those who don't have such conditions and are opposing the bill, "have no idea what it is like to live like this."How Can Euthanasia Be Administered After The Bill Is Passed In Uruguay?The legislation allows euthanasia to be performed by a healthcare professional, however, it is not assisted suicide. Assisted Dying or Euthanasia Vs Assisted SuicideThe difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide depends on who is administering the lethal dose. In an assisted suicide, the patients administer a lethal dose themselves. The bill furthermore places no time limit on life expectancy, unlike similar laws do in the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The bill states that anyone with an incurable illness that cause them "unbearable suffering" can request euthanasia, even if the illness is not terminal. The catch is, applicants must be mentally competent, and two doctors must be required to rule that they are psychologically fit enough to take the decision for themselves.Also Read: Can Right To Die Be Practiced By Non-Terminally Ill Patients? What Is Euthanasia?The term has Greek origins, which means "good death", and refers to the practice under which an individual intentionally ends their life, painlessly. However, there are various types of Euthanasia, which are as followed:Active Euthanasia: Where a patient is injected with a lethal dose of the drug, also known as "aggressive" euthanasia.Passive Euthanasia: Where the patient's artificial life support such as a ventilator or feeding tube is withheld.Voluntary Euthanasia: This happens when the patient consents to it.Involuntary Euthanasia: This happens when the patient is not in the state to consent to euthanasia. In such cases, the patient's family makes the decision.Read: Plea of Chilean Woman With Muscular Dystrophy Sparks National Debate on Euthanasia BillCountries Where Euthanasia Is LegalCountryYear LegalizedRulingAustraliaVaries by state – e.g., Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Victoria) passed in 2017, in force June 2019.Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Victoria)Belgium2002 (law passed 16 May, ratified 28 May)Law on Euthanasia (Belgium) of 28 May 2002Canada2016 (federal)Bill C-14 (Medical Assistance in Dying)Colombia1997 (via Constitutional Court ruling) with further liberalization in 2021Constitutional Court decision (1997) + later resolutionsEcuador 2024 (Constitutional Court decriminalized euthanasia)Constitutional Court ruling decriminalizing euthanasiaLuxembourg2009 (law in force 17 March 2009)Law on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide of 16 March 2009The Netherlands2001 (bill passed April) / in force 1 April 2002Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) ActNew Zealand2019 (Act passed 13 November) in force 7 Nov 2021End of Life Choice Act 2019Portugal2023 (parliament approved revised bill)Revised euthanasia/legal-assisted-dying bill (approved 2023)Spain2021 (law in effect 25 June 2021)Organic Law 3/2021 of 24 March 2021 regulating euthanasiaRead More: What Are The Dutch Guidelines Of Active Euthanasia And The Countries That Allow It
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