荷兰或准“人生完整者”安乐死

 　　只要你觉得活够了，即使你身体健康，你也可以选择安乐死而且还不犯法。荷兰卫生部和司法部12日向议会递交了一份提案，要求将该国安乐死的合法对象扩展至感到“人生完整”的人。卫生部长迪丝?斯希普斯称新制度将仅限于老年群体，他们希望在与各方的磋商下，在2017年年底前起草相关法案。

　　The Dutch government intends to draft a law that would legalise assisted suicide for people who feel they have “completed life” but are not necessarily terminally ill.

　　荷兰政府计划起草一项法案，让那些感到“人生完整”但不一定处在绝症晚期的人可以合法进行安乐死。

　　The Netherlands was the first country to legalise euthanasia, in 2002, but only for patients who were considered to be suffering unbearable¹ pain with no hope of a cure.

　　2002年，荷兰成为首个安乐死合法化的国家，但安乐死对象仅限于遭到难以忍受的疼痛折磨且没有治愈希望的病患。

　　人生完整者

　　But in a letter to parliament on Wednesday, the health and justice ministers said that people who “have a well-considered opinion that their life is complete, must, under strict and careful criteria², be allowed to finish that life in a manner dignified³ for them”.

　　不过，卫生部和司法部12日向议会递交了一份文件，称“在严格谨慎的评判标准下，必须允许经过深思熟虑认为自己的人生已经完整的人以有尊严的方式结束他们的生命。”

　　The proposal is likely to provoke critics who say the scope of Dutch euthanasia policy has already expanded beyond its original boundaries, with “unbearable suffering” not only applying to people with terminal diseases but also to some with mental illnesses and dementia.

　　该提案中，不仅是晚期绝症患者，一些精神疾病与痴呆症患者也符合“无法忍受的折磨”这一情况，这很可能激怒那些认为该国安乐死政策范围已经超出其最初边界的批评人士。

　　The euthanasia policy has widespread backing in Dutch society, and cases have risen by double digits⁴ every year for more than a decade as more patients request it and more doctors are willing to carry it out. Euthanasia accounted for 5,516 deaths in the Netherlands in 2015, or 3.9% of all deaths nationwide.

　　安乐死政策在荷兰获得了广泛支持，由于越来越多的病人要求安乐死，且更多的医生愿意执行安乐死，十多年来安乐死案例每年以两位数的速度不断增长。2015年，荷兰的安乐死案例为5516起，占全国死亡总人数的3.9%。

　　Edith Schippers, the health minister, wrote in the letter that “because the wish for a self-chosen end of life primarily occurs in the elderly, the new system will be limited to” them.

　　卫生部长伊迪丝?斯希普斯在信件中写道：“因为希望自主选择结束生命的主要是老年人，新制度将仅限于老年群体。”

　　She did not define a threshold age.

　　她并没有明确年龄门槛。

　　Although details remained to be worked out, the new law would require “careful guidance and vetting⁵ ahead of time with a ‘death assistance provider’ with a medical background, who has also been given additional training”.

　　尽管细节有待制定，但新法律将需要得到“具有医学背景、经过特殊培训的‘安乐死执行者’的悉心指导和提前审批。”

　　Other aspects of the law would include safety mechanisms⁶ including third-party checks, reviews and supervision⁷, she said.

　　斯希普斯表示，法案的其他方面包括第三方检查、复核和监管等安全机制。

　　The proposal comes as a surprise because a commission enlisted⁸ to study the idea of allowing a “completed life” extension to current policy concluded there was no need for it.

　　这一提案让人大跌眼镜，因为受命对这一想法进行研究的委员会的结论是没有必要允许现行政策扩展至“人生完整”的人。

　　The ministers disagreed. “The cabinet is of the opinion that a request for help (in dying) from people who suffer unbearably⁹ and have no hope without an underlying¹⁰ medical reason can be a legitimate¹¹ request“.

　　部长们不同意该结论。“内阁的观点是绝望而无法忍受折磨的人不基于医学原因的安乐死请求也可以是合法的请求。”

　　They hope to draft a law, in consultation¹² with doctors, ethicists and other experts, by the end of 2017.

　　他们希望在与医生、伦理学家和其他专家的磋商下，在2017年年底前起草出一项相关法案。

1 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

2 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

3 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

4 digits   

n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾

参考例句：

• The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 vetting   

n.数据检查[核对，核实]v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的现在分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• Scripts had to be submitted to Ministry of Information officials for vetting. 必须把脚本提交给信息部官员审查。 来自互联网
• Their purpose in clicking deeper into a site is one of vetting. 他们深入点击网站的目的是一种诊疗。 来自互联网

6 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

8 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 unbearably   

adv.不能忍受地，无法容忍地；慌

参考例句：

• It was unbearably hot in the car. 汽车里热得难以忍受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She found it unbearably painful to speak. 她发现开口说话痛苦得令人难以承受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

12 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。