Uruguay's Senate passed a bill unanimously Tuesday providing for universal access to palliative care. All 26 senators present voted in favor of the Uruguayan Society of Palliative Medicine and Care's (SUMCP) initiative dating back to 2020, it was reported in Montevideo. Forty-one percent of the population is still not guaranteed access to palliative care.
Uruguay's Lower House Thursday passed a bill legalizing euthanasia with 57 votes out of 96. The project now goes to the Senate for further Parliamentarian treatment.
Uruguayan lawmakers have begun this week the debate to legalize euthanasia, despite opposition from the National Party of President Luis Lacalle Pou and the Catholic Church. The Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide bill was first introduced in 2020, but no further action was taken due to the COVID-19 pandemic.