Conference Program

Conference Program coming soon! 


Confirmed Plenary Sessions 

  • Dementia and Assisted Dying: International Perspectives on Access via Advance Requests 
Internationally, various approaches have emerged to support access to assisted dying for individuals with dementia. Among them, advance requests have gained increasing prominence and are now permitted in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Quebec. This panel presentation will examine access to assisted dying through advance requests in the context of dementia, drawing on clinical experiences, conceptual frameworks, and empirical findings to illuminate the evolving landscape of practice and policy.

  • Updates from the New Jurisdictions which have Legalised Assisted Dying Since ICEL4  
The international assisted dying landscape is rapidly changing. This international panel presentation will provide an overview of the legal status of assisted dying in jurisdictions which have - or are likely to have  - recently legalised the practise  - including Spain, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, and the United Kingdom, including the Isle of Man, Scotland, England and Wales. It will also examine the legislative frameworks that have been implemented  - or are currently under consideration  - in each of these regions.

  • Global Reflections on Local Issues in Assisted Dying: An International Panel
“What insights can our local experiences offer the global conversation on assisted dying?” As legislative frameworks and cultural contexts vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, each region faces its own unique challenges in the practice and governance of assisted dying. While these issues are locally grounded, they carry broader significance and call for international reflection. This international panel session offers a global journey through five regions—South America, the “Old” European jurisdictions, the “New” European jurisdictions, North America, and Oceania—highlighting distinctive aspects of local practice that serve as valuable points of reflection for the international assisted dying community.

  • Exploring the Relationship Between Assisted Dying and Palliative Care 
End-of-life care is in transition, as the legalisation of assisted dying in more countries broadens patients’ options in unprecedented ways. In many jurisdictions where assisted dying is legal, a substantial number of these deaths occur within palliative care services, placing professionals at the center of a profound change in how dying is approached, experienced, and supported.

This presentation will examine how the introduction of assisted dying legislation is influencing palliative care practice worldwide. Rather than arguing for or against integration, it will explore how services are adapting, what challenges professionals encounter, and how patient choices are shaping new realities in end-of-life care. The aim is to stimulate reflection on how palliative care can continue to uphold its values while responding to the complexity of a rapidly changing landscape.

  • Rethinking Oversight and Monitoring of Assisted Dying
  • Institutional Objection to Assisted Dying: Legal, Ethical, and Practical Perspectives


Program Topics

To give an indication of the breadth of topics included in the ICEL5 program, please click below to read a selection of accepted abstracts and presenters.

Accepted Abstracts and Presenters



To assist with flight and accommodation bookings, a very brief skeleton program is below. 

Wednesday 8 April

15:00Registration Opens
17:00ICEL Begins
19:00  - 20:30Welcome to Country and Welcome Drinks

Thursday 9 April

08:00  - 17:00ICEL5 Conference Sessions  - Morning Tea, Lunch & Afternoon Tea provided

Friday 10 April

08:00  - 17:00ICEL5 Conference Sessions  - Morning Tea, Lunch & Afternoon Tea provided
18:30  - 22:00Conference Dinner

Saturday 11 April

08:00  - 17:00ICEL5 Conference Sessions  - Morning Tea, Lunch & Afternoon Tea provided