TY - JOUR T1 - Pulling up the runaway: the effect of new evidence on euthanasia's slippery slope. JF - Journal of Medical Ethics JO - J Med Ethics SP - 341 LP - 344 DO - 10.1136/jme.24.5.341 VL - 24 IS - 5 AU - C J Ryan Y1 - 1998/10/01 UR - http://jme.bmj.com/content/24/5/341.abstract N2 - The slippery slope argument has been the mainstay of many of those opposed to the legalisation of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. In this paper I re-examine the slippery slope in the light of two recent studies that examined the prevalence of medical decisions concerning the end of life in the Netherlands and in Australia. I argue that these two studies have robbed the slippery slope of the source of its power--its intuitive obviousness. Finally I propose that, contrary to the warnings of the slippery slope, the available evidence suggests that the legalisation of physician-assisted suicide might actually decrease the prevalence of non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. ER -