Euthanasia in China?

From  Reuters Health:

An adviser to China’sparliament has suggested that the country allow regions to “experiment”with euthanasia as a step toward legalizing mercy killing nationwide,Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

A survey done in several areas of thecountry showed more than 80 percent of people supported euthanasia forthose with incurable, painful illness, with approval rates especiallyhigh among the elderly, Zhao Gongmin, a researcher with the ChineseAcademy of Social Sciences, said.

“Conditions are not yet ripe fornational-level legislation on euthanasia,” Zhao, a member ofparliament’s advisory body, was quoted as saying on the sidelines ofthe ongoing parliament session in Beijing.

“I think it is only a matter of timefor euthanasia to become legal,” he added. “Therefore, we should allowsome experiments on the local level for the purpose of accumulatingexperience.”

Euthanasia has come up at previous parliament meetings and been a subject of controversy around the country for years.

Zhao’s point comes as the governmenthas pledged to put massive new investment in its decaying rural healthcare system, which is leaving many millions with no access to or moneyfor medical treatment.

It is not uncommon for rural peoplewith serious illnesses to kill themselves, often to avoid burdeningtheir families with unbearable medical bills.

Ed:  Now let ‘s all go read The Giver.