Just over two years ago, terminally ill New Zealanders were given the right to request a medically assisted death with the End of Life Choice Act. But having assisted dying legally available doesn’t mean everyone has the access.
While the law provides the option for people with a terminal illness, it also creates challenges for patients, family, whānau, health practitioners and the health system.
Our ongoing research is looking at how the law has been used since it was enacted in 2021. We have also been looking into access issues, low levels of knowledge in the health sector around assisted dying, and poor public awareness.
