About assisted dying
Assisted dying, or voluntary assisted dying, is an additional end-of-life choice that provides eligible people who are suffering and dying with the option of asking for medical assistance to end their lives. It is always voluntary and involves strict eligibility criteria and multiple assessments.
Voluntary assisted dying is a new service. Many people in the community are not yet familiar with the eligibility criteria and the many legal steps to achieve an assisted death. This environment has allowed misinformation and inaccurate hearsay to fill the gap.
About these guidelines
The people who seek assisted dying are from all backgrounds and walks of life. What they have in common is a terminal illness that is causing them intolerable suffering. These guidelines are intended for use in Australia and New Zealand. (In Australia the term used is ‘voluntary assisted dying’; in New Zealand it is ‘assisted dying’.) They were created to provide media professionals and commentators with practical advice on how to report on end-of-life choice accurately, ethically and respectfully and counter some of the misinformation.