To the Editor: Victoria introduced voluntary assisted dying in June 2019, historic legislation which aimed to enable terminally ill people in limited circumstances to end their life with autonomy, compassion and support. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 20171 is considered the most conservative and safe legislation in the world, with 68 safeguards. We compared recent Victorian reporting data2,3 with a 12‐month period of data on Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act (1997),4 as the jurisdictions have similar population sizes and there is no comparable jurisdiction currently operating in Australia.
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- 1. Parliament of Victoria. Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017. https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/voluntary-assisted-dying-act-2017/005 (viewed Nov 2020).
- 2. Safer Care Victoria Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board. Report of operations, January–June 2020. Melbourne: State of Victoria. 2020. https://www.bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-08/VADRB_Report%20of%20operations%20August%202020%20FINAL_0.pdf (viewed Nov 2020).
- 3. Safer Care Victoria. Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board: Report of operations, June to December 2019. Melbourne: State of Victoria, 2020. https://www.bettersafercare.vic.gov.au/publications/VADRB-june-to-december-2019 (viewed Nov 2020).
- 4. Public Health Division, Center for Health Statistics. Oregon Death with Dignity Act: 2019 Data Summary. Oregon: Oregon Health Authority, 2020. https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PROVIDERPARTNERRESOURCES/EVALUATIONRESEARCH/DEATHWITHDIGNITYACT/Documents/year22.pdf (viewed Dec 2020).
- 5. Births Deaths and Marriages Victoria. Deaths registered per month. https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/research-and-family-history/research-and-data-services/death-statistics/deaths-registered-per-month (accessed Nov 2020).
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