Nearly 90 Tasmanians have accessed voluntary assisted dying

For the last two years, terminally ill Tasmanians have been accessing voluntary assisted dying. The latest figures have been released, providing an insight into who is choosing the option.

Photo: Kari Bourne / Sunshine Coast Daily

In just under two years, 87 Tasmanians have chosen to die by accessing voluntary assisted dying laws.

The median age of those using the legislation is 74 with the youngest person aged 45.

A majority of voluntary assisted deaths were people with cancer and 148 final requests have been determined since it became law in October 2022,

In the Voluntary Assisted Dying Commission’s annual report for 2023-24 tabled in parliament, executive commissioner Louise Mollross said the number of Tasmanians choosing to access voluntary assisted dying “has steadily increased during the reporting period”.

She acknowledged the process can be “complex” but said fact sheets had been produced to help people complete the forms required.

Mike Gaffney, the member for Mersey in the Legislative Council who spearheaded the legislation, is in Ireland as a guest speaker at a two-day conference being held by the World Federation to Die Societies and attended by 300 delegates including clinicians and lawyers.

Independent MLC, Michael Gaffney talks during the reading of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill at the Tasmanian Legislative Council. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“It’s pleasing to see that the legislation is working the way it is intended,” he said.

“The statistics show health professionals, both doctors and nurses, are supporting the voluntary assisted dying legislation.

“And for those Tasmanians who are suffering intolerably it gives them a choice.”

The annual report said the median age of people who made a First Request to access voluntary assisted dying was 74, with ages ranging from 45 to 96 years with 52 per cent males and 48 per cent females.

“People found eligible to access voluntary assisted dying following their First Request were most likely to have a cancer-related primary diagnosis (64 per cent), with the next most common diagnosis being neurodegenerative disease (15 per cent) and respiratory disease (12 per cent),” Ms Mollross said.

“During 2023-24, the median number of days elapsed between a participant’s First Request and their death following administration of the VAD Substance was 32 days, with a range between two and 463 days.

“The choice to access voluntary assisted dying is deeply personal and no one voluntary assisted dying process is the same.

“Some participants choose to access voluntary assisted dying soon after their initial diagnosis, while others do so close to the end of their life, when their health is rapidly deteriorating.”

Ms Mollross said some people waited weeks or months before accessing the VAD substance.

“For these participants, knowing that the VAD Substance is available provides relief from their suffering, and they may ultimately decide not to avail themselves of it,” she said.

The report said 54 medical practitioners and 38 nurses had completed training.

Royal Australian College of GPs Tasmanian chair Dr Toby Gardner said GPs were “squeezed for appointments” and he hoped they could be better recompensed for being involved in the VAD process.

Originally published as Nearly 90 Tasmanians have accessed voluntary assisted dying