End of Life Choices for Terminally Ill Patients
Where in Europe is euthanasia and/or assisted suicide legal?
Neither euthanasia nor assisted suicide are legal in Britain, which is why Marianne would have to "go abroad" if she chooses not to live through the final effects of the brain tumor.
In Switzerland, physician assisted suicide is functionally legal (they only prosecute in cases where the person assisting has "selfish motives for the patient's death), and unlike Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg where euthanasia is legal, it is not considered a "medical treatment" and therefore doesn't need the patient's doctor's approval and cannot be physically administered by the prescribing doctor. In fact, in Switzerland, the patient must legally be able to drink the barbiturate mixture without help.
Based on the hints from the script, it appears that Marianne has gotten in touch with a right-to-die group in Switzerland and is considering going through with it.
In Switzerland, physician assisted suicide is functionally legal (they only prosecute in cases where the person assisting has "selfish motives for the patient's death), and unlike Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg where euthanasia is legal, it is not considered a "medical treatment" and therefore doesn't need the patient's doctor's approval and cannot be physically administered by the prescribing doctor. In fact, in Switzerland, the patient must legally be able to drink the barbiturate mixture without help.
Based on the hints from the script, it appears that Marianne has gotten in touch with a right-to-die group in Switzerland and is considering going through with it.
Why does Marianne talk about her mother's choice to stop the IV?
In states and countries where euthanasia and physician assisted suicide are not legal, some terminally ill patients choose to speed up the dying process by refusing nutrition and medication. While this may help the patient die sooner, the process of starving itself can be painful and can last several days. Marianne is afraid to suffer the way that her mother did.