Right to Die Versus Sacredness of Life

This volume, published as a special issue from "OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying" presents a number of theoretical and empirical articles on the topic of euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide and suicide. We have examined the first extended data available in America with regard to the 93 physician-assisted deaths of Drs. Kevorkian and Reding. We examine the roles of biological verses psychological factors in the patient's decision to actively hasten their death. The role of gender, age, social economic status, ethnic-national-religious ancestry and marital-status have been examined in depth through quasi-psychological autopsies when available, often with very troubling implications. In addition, we present some preliminary work on seven cases of physician-assisted suicides in Australia.