Switzerland proposes law to tackle ’suicide tourism’
By Ria Novosti, IANSFriday, October 30, 2009
MOSCOW - The Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said Friday that the country is reviewing a draft legislation to restrict the number of patients allowed to undergo euthanasia to a minimum, according to a report.
The authorities have taken this initiative following a sharp increase in the influx of foreigners. Switzerland is one of the few countries where euthanasia is legal.
“Our country is not interested in ’suicide tourism’, and we will do everything possible to prevent people from crossing the Swiss border only to commit suicide a few hours later in some clinic,” a Vesti television report quoted Widmer-Schlumpf as saying.
The draft bill proposes for euthanasia to be allowed only for terminally-ill patients and only if they provide at least two independent diagnoses of their illness.
The draft contradicts the Swiss Supreme Court’s ruling of Nov 3, 2006, which says ‘every person has the right to decide when and how to die,’ and could face strong opposition within the country.
Hundreds of foreigners, mainly Europeans, travel to Switzerland every year to receive a lethal injection of coma-inducing drugs and pay several thousand euros making it a profitable business for Swiss medical clinics.
The draft bill has to be approved by the Swiss parliament before taking effect as early as May 2010.
–RIA Novosti
