Media Contact
Frances Coombe, VADSA President 0421 305 684
Anne Bunning, VADSA Vice President 0407 803 340
[email protected]
Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia
Quick Facts
- In the first three years, from February 2023 to February 2026, approximately 500 people were able to use the VAD substance to end their suffering
- In the first three years, an additional 200 people who had received a VAD Permit died without using the VAD substance, knowing they had the choice
- approximately 20 people a month use the VAD substance to end their intolerable suffering
- VAD deaths represent 1.5% of all deaths in South Australia
- 80% of people who request VAD are also receiving palliative care
- 70% of people who receive a VAD Permit have cancer
- 50% of people died at home
- 85% of people self administered the VAD substance
- 83 doctors are VAD trained, out of over 8000 registered medical practitioners in the state
- The median time from a first request to using the VAD substance is 22 days
- VAD is neither suicide nor euthanasia (see Media Toolkit below)
To be eligible to receive a VAD Permit and a prescription for the VAD substance, a person must meet the following VAD eligibility criteria:
- be an adult (18 years and older)
- be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, and have been living in South Australia for 12 months when you make the first request
- have at least one disease, illness or medical condition that:
- is advanced, progressive, and incurable
- will, on the balance of probabilities, cause your death within six months (or 12 months for neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neurone disease), and
- is causing suffering that cannot be relieved in a way you consider tolerable.
- have decision-making capacity in relation to voluntary assisted dying
- be acting voluntarily
- the request for access to voluntary assisted dying must be enduring.
Two independent doctors will assess each person and confirm they meet all of the eligibility criteria.
Disability and mental illness are not criteria for VAD. Both are specifically excluded in the legislation.
The request for VAD can only be made by the person themself. No other person can make a request for VAD on behalf of another person.
VAD Care Navigators in SA Health can provide support and information on accessing VAD in SA.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0403 087 390
Media Toolkit
The Australia New Zealand VAD Network has published a Media Toolkit for use by journalists, media organisations, researchers and those who talk and write about VAD. The toolkit explains why VAD is the correct and accurate term, provides advice on the selection of pictures and graphics, and highights the need for accurate information about VAD. The Media Toolkit assists in supporting a more informed discussion of death and dying.
VADSA Policy Position Statements
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VADSA Position Statement: Providing an end of life choice of assisted dying for people with dementia
- VADSA Position Statement: Access to VAD for a person living with a disability
- VADSA Position Statement: Religious Opposition and Voluntary Assisted Dying
- VADSA Position Statement: Mandatory Voluntary Assisted Dying Training a Barrier to Clinician (Doctor or Nurse) Participation
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VADSA Position Statement: Prognosis as an Unreliable and Unjust Barrier to Voluntary Assisted Dying in Australia
VAD in Australia
State and Territory VAD legislation provides a consistent model for VAD in Australia, based on the original VAD Act (2017) in Victoria. Consistencies include the requirement for medical professionals providing VAD assessments to be VAD trained, the VAD eligibility criteria and conscientious objection.
A comparison of key characteristics of the six state and the ACT legislation is provided in Factsheet 45.
The SA VAD Review Board publishes quarterly and annual reports which provide data and stories from friends and families of people who have used VAD, doctors and health professionals involved in VAD. Summaries are provided by VADSA in Factsheets 49 and 50.