Debbie Purdy, one of Britain's most prominent assisted suicide campaigners, has expressed her wholehearted support for Tony Nicklinson's request for euthanasia by lethal dose. In 2009 Mrs Purdy won a court victory which required the director of public prosecutions to clarify in what circumstances individuals would be prosecuted for assisting suicide. The subsequently issued guidance effectively decriminalised assisted suicide where the assister was judged to be motivated by compassion. [BBC, 20 July] http://bit.ly/bA47wH
US man volunteers to be killed for his organs
Gary Phebus, a American with Lou Gherig's disease, has requested to be killed in order to donate his organs. Wesley Smith, an American bioethicist, has said that an apparently positive reaction to the man's request is particularly worrying. LifeLink, an organisation dedicated to the recovery of organ and tissue for transplant, said it thought that it was wonderful that Mr Phebus wished to donate his organs. [Wesley Smith, 25 July] http://bit.ly/awwzqi
Other stories:
Mothers and children are the focus of African Union summit. [Patrick Buckley, 23 July] http://bit.ly/drVtBS
UK hospital report shows many nurses are failing to feed patients. [Daily Mail, 26 July] http://bit.ly/aE8qi1
Study suggests Belgian nurses practising involuntary euthanasia. [Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, 23 July] http://bit.ly/9MrOHD\