From the perspective of patients, physician-assisted suicide is a more unambiguous expression of the patient's autonomous will. From the legislator's perspective it seems less liable to misuse and abuse. And often the availability of assisted suicide, instead of shortening the life of a patient, has proved to prolong it. Public policy has begun to respond to this prospect. Notably in Switzerland and Germany, the attitudes of public bodies towards physician-assisted suicide are in a process of change, partly motivated by the wish to take the edge off the pressure for legalisation of active euthanasia.

The present volume focuses on public policy issues related to physician-assisted suicide. It offers a detailed analysis of the current legal standing and practice of physician-assisted suicide in various countries and discusses the ethical principles underlying its legal and professional regulation. In addition, it contains a number of personal narratives by professionals who have for many years been involved in end-of-life issues.

From the reviews:

"This book examines the many facets of physician-assisted suicide from an international perspective with contributions from a variety of authors … . The audience includes a broad array of readers, spanning academics, practitioners, and even lay people. … This is a superb and insightful book, with wide appeal. It is highly useful for those with an interest in the physician-assisted suicide debate. … this is a valuable contribution to anyone’s library, especially those concerned with the legal fight for physician- assisted suicide." (Jason Lesandrini, Doody’s Review Service, May, 2008)