By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
A landmark study by Chelsea Roff and Catherine Cook-Cottone titled: “Assisted death in eating disorders: a systematic review of cases and clinical rationales”, was published by Frontiers in Psychiatry on July 30, 2024. Both authors are experts in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs).
The authors provided a systematic review of cases of euthanasia or assisted suicide for eating disorders by examining the assisted dying reports from jurisdictions that have legalized euthanasia and/or assisted suicide. The authors use the term assisted death because it encapsulates both euthanasia, the act of the physician or nurse, and assisted suicide, the prescribing of the lethal drugs whereby the person must self-administer.
The authors uncover at least 60 cases of assisted death based on eating disorders. There may be many more but countries, such as Canada, don’t publish data that would enable them to uncover all of the assisted deaths for eating disorders.
Editor’s note. This appeared on Mr. Schadenberg’s blog and reposted with permission.