Is voluntary assisted dying the same as euthanasia?
Euthanasia means a doctor administers a life-ending substance to a dying person – rather than the person taking it themselves. The word euthanasia carries negative historical connotations and is often associated with something that is done to a person without their consent.
In Australia, the term ‘voluntary assisted dying’ is preferred because it centres the dying person’s choice i.e. VAD is not something that is done to you, but something you choose.
In the majority of cases in Victoria and South Australia, for example, people have taken the medication themselves. This is because in those states self-administration is the default method and only in cases where the person is too sick to take it themselves can a doctor step in to help. In Western Australia, Queensland and NSW, where people are permitted to choose the method of administration, a significant majority elect for their doctor to administer the medication for them.
Other countries have chosen different terminology. For example, Canada uses the abbreviation MAiD, which stands for medical assistance in dying.