This research project “Voluntary Assisted Dying and Dementia in Australia: an exploratory study” is led by Professor Ben White and Professor Lindy Willmott in the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
About the project
This project will use legal and empirical research methods to (1) further the evidence base on voluntary assisted dying (VAD) for people with dementia and (2) identify possible legislative models that could allow for access to VAD for people with dementia. Project findings will provide a basis for informed Australian public policy debates and law reform deliberations.
Why is this project needed?
There have been calls by members of the public for people with dementia to be able to access VAD. This has been accompanied by calls by some for legislation to be amended to allow this to occur.
Internationally there is evidence that, where legal, uptake of VAD by people with dementia is low. There is also evidence that operational and practical challenges exist. When considering possible reform, it is also important to ensure there are appropriate safeguards to protect vulnerable persons and the wider community.
VAD laws are now operating in most Australian jurisdictions and legislatively-mandated reviews have occurred or will occur in all of those jurisdictions. Whether VAD should be available to people living with dementia, should that be their choice, may form part of such reviews. Australian evidence is needed to identify whether VAD should be available for this cohort and, if so, what appropriate legislative model(s) should be.
What does this project involve?
This project will proceed in five stages.
Comparative analysis of legislative models in international jurisdictions that permit access to VAD for people living with dementia
Stage 1 will involve a synthesis and analysis of existing forms of regulation and evidence to highlight challenges and identify areas of best practice that Australia could consider adopting or adapting.
Ascertaining stakeholders’ views about VAD and dementia
Stage 2 will involve semi-structured interviews carried out with people living with dementia, carers and medical practitioners to ascertain preliminary views about VAD and dementia and considerations for regulation.
Develop and test possible legislative models
Stage 3 will synthesise information from Stages 1 and 2 to develop possible legislative models for allowing people living with dementia to access VAD. Multiple alternative models will be developed for consideration.
Stage 4 will test possible legislative models developed in Stage 3 using a citizen’s jury to identify possible problems and identify recommended features of optimal legislative model(s) including identifying necessary safeguards.
Stage 5 will synthesise findings from Stages 1-4 to identify key project findings. The researchers will then evaluate and make recommendations about feasibility, workability and acceptability of legislative models and the possibility of such models safely allowing access to VAD for people with dementia.
Project Update: We are currently only recruiting medical practitioners for Stage 2 of the project. We are no longer recruiting carers and people living with dementia.