The aim of this study was to determine the opinions of private medical practitioners in Bloemfontein, South Africa, regarding euthanasia of terminally ill patients. A smaller percentage (35.5%) would never consider euthanasia for themselves compared to for their patients (46.8%). The decision should be made by the patient (50%), the patient’s doctor with two colleagues (46.8%), close family (45.2%) or a special committee of specialists in ethics and medicine (37.1%). The majority (46.9%) indicated that euthanasia should be performed by an independent doctor trained in euthanasia, followed by the patient’s doctor (30.7%). Notification should mainly be given to a special committee (49.9%). Only 9.8% felt that no notification was necessary. There was strong opposition to prescribing of medication to let the patient die. Withdrawal of essential medical treatment to speed up death was the most acceptable method.
The 17th ILERA World Congress: The Changing World of Work: Implications for Labour and Employment Relations and Social Protection To be held the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa and hosted by Industrial Relations Association of South Africa (IRASA)
South Africa has decided to stop the automatic renewal of international investment agreements that it signed in the early post-apartheid period, and has announced that some will be terminated. It is right to do so, and other countries, one hopes, will follow suit.