Ear, nose and throat specialist Dr Roland von Marburg will speak at the Commercial Club, Albury tomorrow night, on “Euthanasia — Myths and Realities” to be followed by a public discussion.

Dr von Marburg said the timing was right as the discussion about euthanasia had been gaining momentum in the public domain.

“I try to avoid emotive words because you don’t want to get emotional about these issues, I don’t think that helps anyone, but we do need to recognise what euthanasia is,” he said.

“There are three or four common arguments that I don’t really think hold much water.

“There can be a lack of compassion that’s probably getting them to the point that they are despairing and depressed.

“And the way the debate has been framed has also been misleading I think.”

Albury-based Dr von Marburg said he also wanted to debunk some of the myths about euthanasia.

“Often the argument is put up that I don’t want to live on a machine for the rest of my life,” he said.

“The short answer to that from a medical point of view is you’d be right.

“I think we’re understanding much more as a profession that you don’t need to put 95-year-olds in intensive care, on ventilators in the hope that they will miraculously turn around and get better.”

The talk is free and will be in the Commercial Club’s Waratah Room tomorrow from 7.30pm.