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Suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia: International perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Antoon Leenaars ,
John Connolly ,
Chris Cantor ,
Marlene EchoHawk ,
Zhao Xiong He ,
Natalia Kokorina ,
David Lester ,
Andrew A Lopatin ,
Mario Rodriguez  and
Lourens Schlebusch
...Show all authors
Antoon Leenaars
Affiliation:
University of Leiden, 880 Ouellette Ave, Suite 7-806, Windsor, ON, CanadaN9A 1C7
John Connolly
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital, Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland
Chris Cantor
Affiliation:
Australia Institute for Suicide Research, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
Marlene EchoHawk
Affiliation:
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Program, Indian Health Service, Headquarters West, 5300 Homestead Rd, NE, Alberquerque NM, US87110
Zhao Xiong He
Affiliation:
Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, Nanning, Gaungxi, PR, China
Natalia Kokorina
Affiliation:
Medical Academy, Sovietsky St, 71-66, 650099, Kemerovo, Russia
David Lester
Affiliation:
Centre for the Study of Suicide, RR41, 5 Stonegate Court, Blackwood NJ, US08012
Andrew A Lopatin
Affiliation:
Kemerovo State Medical Academy, N Ostrovosky St 27-33, Kemerovo 99, 650099, Russia
Mario Rodriguez
Affiliation:
Calle 5ta, numero 29404, entre 294Y296, Santa Fe Plaza, Ciudad Habana, Cuba, Codigo Postal 19100
Lourens Schlebusch
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Natal, 719 Umbilo Rd., Durban, South Africa
Yoshitomo Takahashi
Affiliation:
Tokyo Institute of Psychiatry, 1-2421 Akebono, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-0012, Japan
Lakshmi Vijayakumar
Affiliation:
21 Ranjith Rd., Kotturpuram, Madras 600085, India
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Abstract

Suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia are elusive and controversial issues worldwide. To discuss such issues from only one perspective may be limiting. Therefore, this paper was written by authors from various regions, each of whom has been asked to reflect on the issues. The countries/cultures are: Australia, China, Cuba, Ireland, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, The Netherlands, North America (Turtle Island) and United States. Historically and today, suicide is viewed differently. Assisted suicide and euthanasia are equally seen from multifarious perspectives. Highlighting development in the Netherlands, Australia's Northern Territory and Japan (ie. the famous Yamanouchi Case), the review shows growing re-examination of the right to die. There appear, however, to be no uniform legal and ethical positions. Further debate and discussion globally is needed to avoid myopic perspectives.

Keywords

Assisted suicideEuthanasiaInternationalSuicide.
Type
Perspective
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 2001 , pp. 33 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

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