Assisted Lab

Assistedlab.ch–A Living Archive of Assisted Dying A thoughtful review of a Swiss-based digital archive examining cultural dimensions of assisted dying debates.

Thank you Jacalyn Duffin @drugshortage.bsky.social for this generous and thoughtful review of our archive 😍

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'As intermitências da morte' by José Saramago This allegorical novel explores the economic, political, religious, and ethical questions that would be raised if, suddenly, people stopped dying.

‘As intermitências da morte’ by José Saramago explores the economic, political, & ethical questions raised if, suddenly, people stopped dying. To see how it has been cited in debates on the legalization of assisted dying see 👇

Analysis by @pittella.bsky.social

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'Esther's Story' by Julia Sartorio This short documentary segment follows assisted dying campaigner and cancer patient Esther Richards in the days before her assisted death.

Broadcast on TVNZ ‘Sunday’ programme in 2022, this short doc follows assisted dying campaigner and cancer patient Esther Richards in the days before her assisted death. It hints at the challenges of Esther’s decision but predominantly publicises the new right to die.

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Now that @governor.ny.gov has signed New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act, reposting here some entries from our archive on the films, books, and other media that have influenced conversations in the US 👇

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'Epilogue' by Manno Lanssens Through its intimate portrayal of how Neel and her family coped with her decision, ‘Epilogue’ encourages viewers to see euthanasia as a way to maintain dignity and comfort in one’s final moments.

2011 documentary ‘Epilogue’ by Manno Lanssens follows the last months of Neel Couwel’s life who decided to end her life through legal euthanasia in Belgium.

For an analysis by Sophia H. Rüfer see 👇

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'Los' by Tom Naegels Tom Naegels's novel provides a critical reflection of the criteria outlined in Belgian euthanasia law.

The novel Los, by Tom Naegels, provides a critical reflection of the criteria outlined in Belgium's euthanasia law.

Analysis by Wouter Schrover 👇

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'Cartas desde el infierno' by Ramón Sampedro A collection of letters, poems, and essays, Sampedro’s memoir constitutes a philosophical treatise on the ethics of euthanasia.

The story of Ramón Sampedro influenced the legalization of assisted dying in Spain and elsewhere.

But beyond Alejandro Amenábar's film Mar Adentro with Javier Bardem, there's also Sampedro’s own book 'Cartas desde el infierno'

Analysis by @pittella.bsky.social 👇

assistedlab.ch/textual/cart...

SFAP – Société Française d’Accompagnement et de soins Palliatifs Bienvenue sur le site officiel. La SFAP fédère plus de 10 000 soignants et 6 000 bénévoles d'accompagnement en soins palliatifs.

📣 Podcast 📣 Balado 📣

Assisted Lab's Jordan McCullough met Claire Fourcade @clairefourcade3, palliative care doctor & head of advocacy department of SFAP (www.sfap.org)

To listen to their discussion on palliative care and assisted dying in France (en français) 👇

assistedlab.ch/podcasts

'When My Doctor Offered to Help Me Take My Life' by Bill Gardner Drawing on his background as a mental health services researcher, Bill criticizes Canada’s approach to medical assistance in dying as contrary to efforts to prevent suicide.

New entry from Canada on 'When My Doctor Offered to Help Me Take My Life' by @billgardner.bsky.social, one of his essays from 'I have Serious News'

Analysis by Robyn Otto 👇

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'Chronique d’une mort décidée' by Vincent Fooij

This documentary by Vincent Fooij, about the last months of right to die activist Jean-Marie Lorand, was an important reference as Belgium legalized euthanasia in 2002

Analysis by Jordan McCullough

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Dr. Jessica Young on assisted dying, the New Zealand End of Life Choice Bill, culturally responsive research, end of life care and decision making, and sociological approaches

You might also enjoy our latest episode with Dr Jessica Young

open.spotify.com/episode/3wD4...

'De Goede Dood' by Wannie de Wijn When Bernard, who suffers from lung cancer, chooses to have an assisted death, his decision exacerbates tensions within his family, who gather on his final day.

New entry in our archive from the Netherlands!

De Goede Dood (A Good Death) by Wannie de Wijn portrays a range of human responses to assisted death, exploring grief and inviting audiences to reflect on the process.

Analysis by Sofia Rüfer 👇

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The Kessler Twins sisters Alice and Ellen die together aged 89 German pop duo who last year said their wish was ‘to leave together’ had joint assisted death at their home in Grünwald

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

“We were feminists, but without thinking about it: from the age of 15, we started earning our own living. We’ve always been independent. Perhaps, in the end, we became a little dependent on each other.”

'Gina' by Wendell Cooke and Jeremy Macey This short film Gina, by Wendell Cooke and Jeremy Macey, has been mentioned in New Zealand & Queensland parliaments and gained over 100,000 views before assisted dying was legalised in New Zealand.

📣New entry from Aotearoa/New Zealand 📣

This short film Gina, by Wendell Cooke and Jeremy Macey, has been mentioned in New Zealand & Queensland parliaments and gained over 100,000 views before assisted dying was legalised there in 2021.

assistedlab.ch/visual/gina

A Good Death Art Competition — Isenberg Lab

Very much looking forward to seeing this exhibit in Ottawa at the OAG curated by the incredible Isenberg Lab

@sarinaisenberg.bsky.social @uottawa.ca @ottawaartgallery.bsky.social

www.isenberglab.com/a-good-death...

'The Leave-Taking' by Ruth Steinberg

New entry from Canada, on Ruth Steinberg's photographs of her friend Alma Norman, in the last months before her assisted death. The photos were exhibited in Ottawa City Hall in 2023.

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Multilingual, Transnational and Translational: Rethinking the Medical Humanities Charles Forsdick concludes the Reading Bodies takeover and discusses how this project on historical discourses of illness in European literatures and cultures contributes to rethinking the medical …

@cforsdick.bsky.social concludes the @readingbodies.bsky.social takeover and discusses how this project contributes to rethinking the medical humanities in ways that are simultaneously multilingual, transnational and translational.
thepolyphony.org/2025/10/24/m...

'Het refrein is Hein. Dagen uit een verpleeghuis' by Bert Keizer Het refrein is Hein, a book by Bert Keizer, provides an unvarnished look at ageing and suffering, and invites the reader to reflect on ethical dilemmas such as that of assisted dying.

📣New Dutch Entry in our Archive 📣

Published in 1994, 'Het refrein is Hein', a book by Bert Keizer, became a best-seller and paved the way for a more open discussion about assisted dying in the Netherlands.

Analysis by Sophia Rüfer

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Uruguay vota la primera ley de eutanasia de América Latina: “Lucho por el derecho de todos a elegir” Una mayoría progresista se dispone a aprobar este miércoles la norma en el Senado

🇺🇾 “Hasta que no estén las manos levantadas no está aprobado”, dice Florencia Salgueiro, que desde 2021 es uno de los rostros más conocidos entre quienes defienden la legalización de la eutanasia en Uruguay dozz.es/fkls86

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Please repost friends at @unisg.ch @UZH_ch @uzh-ch.bsky.social @utoronto.ca @stanforduniversity.bsky.social @unil.bsky.social @mcgill.ca! 🙏

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 👇

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"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

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'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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