The End of Life Choice Act has come into force and assisted dying is now legal in New Zealand. The first assisted death here is expected to happen sometime in December. Eligible patients can now begin the process - which takes four to six weeks. Hundreds of people are expected to apply to choose how and when to die.
Patients must be at least eighteen, a citizen or permanent resident, be likely to die within six months from a terminal illness and be in "an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability" and experiencing unbearable suffering.
Importantly they have to be judged competent enough to make an informed decision. For what this means in practice, Susie Ferguson is joined by Ministry of Health chief clinical advisor Dr Kristin Good and president of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs Dr Samantha Murton.
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