Death on Request

Dr. Kevorkian and the question of "death on demand" has split Americans. How does euthanasia actually work in countries which allow it in selected cases? This video shows a middle aged Amsterdam man who, suffering the advanced stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), has decided to end his life on a date of his choosing. This 1995 Banff Television Festival winner is a discreet, tasteful, but unflinching look at the reality of his choice. A compassionate Dutch doctor is called in to provide counseling, giving information on the progression of the disease, and describing to the patient and his wife how the painless mercy killing will be performed. The dying man's wishes, laboriously typed on a computer, are narrated here, and as we follow the doctor on his mission of mercy, he shares his religious convictions and describes what it's like to deal with a terminal patient. At the appointed time, as video viewers and the wife observe, the doctor administers the lethal injection, and the man peacefully expires on-camera. After the death, the doctor reads the man's farewell note to his wife and the "death doctor" (coroner) arrives to ensure that everything was properly handled. The documentary is in the Dutch language, with subtitles partially obscured on the left hand side of the screen. However, English speaking viewers won't have much trouble following this. The video is remarkably free of polemics and posturing. Viewers willing to confront a painful subject will find it an instructive, even moving experience. Strongly recommended for counselors, hospital administrators, and other policymakers concerned with euthanasia. Aud: C. (S. Rees)