What VAD is — and isn't

Voluntary Assisted Dying allows an eligible person with a terminal illness to ask for medical help to end their life at a time of their choosing. It must be requested by the person themselves — never by family, never by a doctor, never by a legal guardian.

It is legal across all six Australian states. The ACT scheme is now operational. The NT regained the right to legislate on VAD in 2022. Check the NT Government health portal for current status.

• It is not euthanasia in the unregulated sense — it is a strictly controlled legal process with multiple medical assessments
• It is not refusing treatment (you have always had the right to refuse treatment)
• It is not palliative sedation
• It is not stopping eating or drinking
• It is not available to people who don't have a terminal condition
• It cannot be requested by anyone other than the person themselves
• It cannot be authorised in advance, including in an Advance Care Directive

In Australia, palliative care and VAD are not in opposition. People often access excellent palliative care for months or years, and a small number then choose VAD at the end. Many people who are assessed for VAD never use it — they describe the assessment itself as bringing peace.