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Aside from abortion, few topics are as controversial in Canadian medicine as euthanasia. One side's arguments are made eloquently at the home page of Dying With Dignity (DWD) [www.web.net/~dwdca/index.html], a Canadian society concerned with improving the quality of dying. It is a member of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies and has a link to that organization's Web page, plus many other useful links. This site explains the purpose of the charitable organization and offers advice on end-of-life issues, such as living wills and the need for an enduring power of attorney for personal care. I found the discussions here a bit brief, but more detail can be found through the links. DWD also has a newsletter, and a recent issue (May 1998) included an article on the dismissal of first-degree murder charges against Dr. Nancy Morrison of Halifax and a summary of a New England Journal of Medicine paper on American physicians willing to help patients die. Finally, there is an extended section on euthanasia and the law in Canada, taken from Marilynne Sequin's book, A Gentle Death. Some of your patients may be confronting end-of-life issues and arrive with questions on living wills and related topics. No matter where you stand in this debate, this site has material you should be familiar with. Consider it another useful reference. — Dr. Robert Patterson, robpatterson@email.msn.com

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