Aid-in-dying practice in Europe and the United States: Legal and ethical perspectives for pharmacy

SummaryThis article briefly reviews 'aid-in-dying' options such as euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in Europe and the US Physician-assisted suicide is now legal in four US States. Current practices, medications used and statistics relating to prescription frequency and death rates from the participating States are briefly discussed. This paper also examines the role of pharmacists in assisted suicides; legal, ethical and professional challenges that they face, and future implications on pharmacist education to enable them to make an educated decision about their involvement in aid-in-dying practices.