Assisted Lab

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: 'The Sarco Question: Can Technology Replace Doctors in Assisted Dying?'. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. About This webinar is jointly organised by the Forum for Global Health Ethics, Assisted Lab (University of St Gallen), and the Competence Center Medicine, Ethics, Law Helvetiae (MERH), University of ...

Event ‘The Sarco Question: Can Technology Replace Doctors in Assisted Dying?’ featuring @marcakeller.bsky.social & Anna Elsner on 22 Oct in Zurich. On tech, institutions & assisted dying.

Register to attend online 👇https://uzh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bD8r9neUSLeqttLlJEVfWQ#/registration

‘Her death was tranquil’: why Eve is urging Victorian MPs to make access to voluntary assisted dying easier Eve’s mother saw VAD as a way to reclaim bodily autonomy and dignity, but gaining approval to use the scheme took nine ‘traumatic’ weeks * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Eve Crotty describes her mum Marion’s death as peaceful and painless. They were on the couch in their family home, Crotty on one side, her dad on the other, singing Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon. It was a running joke in the family – when Crotty was little, she thought the lyrics were “socks on fire”. “No teenager should ever have to lose a parent. It was an extremely sad moment that will live with me forever, but her death was tranquil,” Crotty, now 21, says. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

‘Her death was tranquil’: why Eve is urging Victorian MPs to make access to voluntary assisted dying easier

'Une autre histoire' by Chantal Cadieux In this TV series, Anémone Leduc is forced to reckon with her past because of a diagnosis of hereditary early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

TV Series 'Une autre histoire' by Chantal Cadieux aired in Québec in 2019, & deals with early onset Alzheimer’s disease & decision-making capacity. As of 2024 Québec allows advance requests for MAID under certain conditions

Analysis by Robyn Otto 👇

assistedlab.ch/visual/une-a...

"Non penso che un libro finisca quando lo scrittore lo finisce: continua a scriversi nel modo in cui le persone ne parlano, in cui i suoi temi alimentano i dibattiti culturali e sociali".⁠ Leggi la conversazione tra Elif Shafak e Lea Ypi: intern.az/1ObD

'Truelove' by Charlie Covell and Ian Weatherby In the complex drama that emerges assisted dying is used both to explore moral issues and as a plot device in a police thriller.

TV series ‘Truelove’ by Charlie Covell, a police thriller featuring assisted dying, is a good example of increasing sustained attention being paid to the topic in cultural outputs in the UK.

For an analysis by Joe Wood 👇

assistedlab.ch/visual/truel...

'Deséenme un buen viaje' by Gina Montaner The memoir recounts Carlos Montaner's fight for democratization in Cuba and for the right to access legal euthanasia in Spain.

Gina Montaner, a well-known journalist, recounts how her father sought an assisted death in her memoir 'Deséenme un buen viaje', a personal account of the intricacies of the new Spanish euthanasia law.

For an analysis of the book's impact by @pittella.bsky.social see

assistedlab.ch/textual/dese...

Balfour Mount, who revolutionized end-of-life care, died at palliative unit named in his honour | CBC News Mount devoted his life to caring for others and alleviating suffering. In interviews, his family and colleagues remembered him as both deeply compassionate and as a fierce advocate for the humanity of...

Dr. Balfour Mount, who coined the term "palliative care" and whose profound empathy helped revolutionize health-care in North America, died peacefully at the palliative care unit that bears his name. He was 86. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... via @cbcnews.ca

'TI SI WHAT TI SI' by Paola Roldán Narrating her journey of self-discovery and of living with ALS, Roldán's spiritual memoir helped promote her plea for self-determination in Ecuador.

'TI SI WHAT TI SI', Paola Roldán's memoir about living with ALS, influenced the legalization of euthanasia in Ecuador in 2024.

For an analysis of the book's role in law-making by @pittella.bsky.social see

assistedlab.ch/textual/ti-s...

'Levenseindekliniek' by Marcel Ouddeken, Hans Kema The documentary ‘Levenseindekliniek’ revolves around the Dutch End-of-Life Clinic, an organization that deals with patients whose euthanasia requests are complex. The film follows three patients who r...

The documentary ‘Levenseindekliniek’ features the Dutch End-of-Life Clinic dealing with complex euthanasia requests. Its reception highlights how culture influences politics, as 2 members of parliament asked the Minister of Health about questions it raises. 👇

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Based on Marc's analysis of the film Life After, by Reid Davenport, which uses the story of Elizabeth Bouvia to show how decisions around assisted death are complicated by ableism & a lack of access to care for people with disabilities

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Ethik: Selbstbestimmt bis zuletzt – im Sterben wie im Leben In der Debatte um Sterbehilfe geht es meist um Autonomie und Freiheit. Doch was ist mit jenen, die im Leben nicht genug Unterstützung für ein lebenswertes Dasein erhalten?

New article from @marcakeller.bsky.social in @woz.ch on the ethics of self-determination in life and death

www.woz.ch/2537/ethik/s...

Ethik: Selbstbestimmt bis zuletzt – im Sterben wie im Leben In der Debatte um Sterbehilfe geht es meist um Autonomie und Freiheit. Doch was ist mit jenen, die im Leben nicht genug Unterstützung für ein lebenswertes Dasein erhalten?

Unter dem Banner der Autonomie wächst die Forderung nach Sterbehilfe für Menschen, die nicht schwerkrank sind. Zwei Dokumentarfilme zeigen die Kehrseite: Für Menschen mit Behinderung ist sie mitunter kein Ausdruck von Wahlfreiheit, sondern Folge fehlender Unterstützung. Mein Text dazu in der @woz.ch

'October' by Shoojit Sircar ‘October’ subtly broaches the topic of passive euthanasia, and ultimately affirms conventional beliefs held in India about the sacredness of life.

The hindi drama film ‘October’ directed by Shoojit Sircar subtly broaches the topic of passive euthanasia, and ultimately affirms conventional beliefs in India about the sacredness of life.

Analysis by Faiz Elahi for Assisted Lab 👇

assistedlab.ch/visual/october

'Die Glückssucherin. Warum Margrit Schäppi einen Lebensratgeber schrieb und trotzdem den Freitod wählte' by Margrit Schäppi and Matthias Ackeret Before publication, Margrit Schäppi took her life with the aid of a Swiss assisted suicide organisation.

The assisted suicide regime in Switzerland is often seen as model. This book, 'Die Glückssucherin’, by Margrit Schäppi and Matthias Ackeret is at times sharply critical of Swiss assisted suicide practices.

Analysis by @marcakeller.bsky.social

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'Dying: A Memoir' by Cory Taylor Written as Cory Taylor was dying, this memoir explores her wish, illegal in Australia at the time, that she could have an assisted death with her family present.

Publishing a new entry on Dying: A Memoir which explores author Cory Taylor's wish, illegal in Australia at the time, that she could have an assisted death. The book went on to be cited in public hearings on end-of-life care.

By Joe Wood

assistedlab.ch/textual/dyin...

'Justiça' by Manuela Dias Maurício spends 7 years in jail for assisting in the death of Beatriz, a dancer who didn't want to live after a hit-and-run left her tetraplegic.

In Portuguese, ‘Justiça’, a TV series that reignited the debate on assisted death in Brazil, where the practice is illegal.

By @pittella.bsky.social

assistedlab.ch/visual/justica

Guzaarish by Sanjay Leela Bhansaali ‘Guzaarish’ is a Bollywood film about Ethan Mascarenhas, a quadriplegic radio jockey who faces legal and public pushback after petitioning for state-sanctioned euthanasia.

In Hindi, ‘Guzaarish’, a Bollywood film about Ethan Mascarenhas, a quadriplegic radio jockey who faces legal and public pushback after petitioning for state-sanctioned euthanasia.

By Faiz Elahi

assistedlab.ch/visual/guzaa...

In English, ‘A Good Way to Die’, a documentary following the stories of 4 people who would like the option to end their lives on their own terms in Aotearoa/New Zealand, produced when assisted dying was illegal.

By Joe Wood

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Publishing 4 new entries on visual representations of assisted dying for summer watching 🧵

In Dutch, Zondag gaat het gebeuren, an award-winning documentary that follows Carl Ridders, a 50-year-old Dutch-Belgian actor with ALS in his final months

By Sophia H. Rüfer

assistedlab.ch/visual/zonda...

'O último abraço' by Vitor Hugo Brandalise This book-length report recreates the case of Nelson Golla, who assisted in the death of his wife Neusa by placing a homemade bomb between them.

In Portuguese, 'O último abraço' by Vitor Hugo Brandalise, a book-length reconstruction of a shocking true story in Brazil in which a man hugged his suffering wife and placed a homemade bomb between them, which killed her and hurt him. 4/4

By @pittella.bsky.social 👇

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In German 'Ein Mann seiner Zeit' by Roswitha Quadflieg, a novel about a man who, in his mid-70s & using a wheelchair, records his life story & advocates for the right to die. It was praised by advocacy groups in Germany and Switzerland. 3/4

By Marc Keller 👇

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In English, a memoir by Matt Vickers, who fought with his wife in the Aotearoa/New Zealand High Court to allow her to choose when to die. Her case was rejected, but Lecretia Seales’s story influenced subsequent legalisation in the country. 2/4

By Joe Wood👇

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Interested in summer reading about assisted dying? See these books & new analyses by Assisted Lab 🧵

In Dutch 'Winter in Gloster Huis' by Vonne van der Meer, a novel in the Netherlands, discussing completed life & existential suffering. 1/4

By Wouter Schrover 👇

assistedlab.ch/textual/wint...

pls share @profstevenwilson.bsky.social @benbgdalton.bsky.social @drrenskevisser.bsky.social @zfl-berlin.bsky.social @samiahurst.bsky.social @veriwil.bsky.social @literarti.bsky.social @oxmedhum.bsky.social @totomcgee.bsky.social @ericaborgstrom.bsky.social @asmedhum.bsky.social 🙏

Amazing - many congrats, this will be a great volume!

HSG: PhD Position in Medical / Legal Humanities / Cultural Studies (m/f/d) We welcome applicants with a strong academic background in law, legal humanities, socio-legal studies, film studies, media studies, cultural studies, sociology, comparative literature, or a related di...

Assisted Lab is hiring - please share widely!

We are inviting applications for a fully funded PhD position (100%) as part of the ERC/SERI Assisted Lab team at University of St. Gallen, starting September 2025.

More information here 👇

jobs.unisg.ch/offene-stell...

'Mala carne' by Sofía Almiroty In Sofía Almiroty’s debut novel, Ariana takes her grandmother Rosa, whose skin is ravaged by cancer, to say goodbye to the town where she grew up.

Though set in Argentina, Sofía Almiroty’s ‘Mala carne’ was published in Spain, where assisted dying has been legal since 2021 – as opposed to Argentina, where it remains a crime.

I've written for @assistedlab.bsky.social about the novel, which is inspired by Almiroty’s own grandmother.

As new data on Belgium's euthanasia trends emerge, we publish an analysis of the 2023 film 'Marieke, addicted to life' by Pola Rapaport, that sparked widespread debate.

By Wouter Schrover assistedlab.ch/visual/marie...

New archive entry by @marcakeller.bsky.social on an important play, Lukas Bärfuss’s "Alices Reise in die Schweiz", depicting and influencing debates around assisted dying in Switzerland.

👇

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III International Seminar - Images of Death and Grief in Popular Media This seminar explores how death and grief are depicted across popular media, including film, television, literature, and digital platforms.

📺📽️📚💻Hear from an amazing line up of speakers, including ASDS council members and ambassadors, in this seminar exploring images of death and grief in popular media.

Next Thurs (12 June), 11:00-13:00 BST. Online and free to book.

www.eventbrite.es/e/iii-intern...