Assisted dying will become legal in New Zealand as the End of Life Choice Act is set to come into force from 7 November.
The country’s health minister Andrew Little on Tuesday said healthcare systems were ready to implement the law. Mr Little cited a public referendum that was held alongside general elections last year and said assisted dying received the approval of 65 per cent of the public.
A person seeking assisted dying will have to be aged 18 years or over, be a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand, suffer from a terminal illness that is likely to end their life within six months and be in an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability, according to the eligibility criteria.
