Woman at Center of Right to Die Issue Dies

2009-02-11 05:22:51 (GMT) (WiredPRNews.com - Law, News)

Italian woman at heart of right to die debate passes away Monday.

Wired PR News.com – A woman in Italy whose case was the catalyst for an intense right to die debate passed away on Monday. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), 38 year old Eluana Englaro died after being in a vegetative state for 17 years, as lawmakers attempted to pass a bill that would have prohibited the suspension of food and water for patients in her condition.

The Vatican reportedly supported attempts to pass legislation that would prevent the removal of Englaro’s feeding tube, which her father won the right to last year. As noted by the AP, officials have expressed intentions on continuing their efforts to get the bill passed, in spite of Englaro’s death.

The case is being compared to that of Terri Shiavo, an American woman who died in 2005 following the removal of her feeding tube, which sparked a similar widespread debate in the United States.