Taipei: Taiwan will not consider legalizing euthanasia but instead try to improve long-term care and palliative services, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) said Monday amid renewed public debate over assisted dying. The MOHW staked out its position in response to a YouTube video released Sunday by former Taiwan People's Party Chairman Ko Wen-je.

According to Focus Taiwan, Ko, a surgeon-turned-politician, shared the story of a man in his 40s with a genetic neurological disease who traveled to Switzerland for assisted dying. Ko highlighted not only the euthanasia debate but also questioned the sufficiency of Taiwan's long-term care system for patients with severe illnesses.

Liu Yueh-ping, head of the MOHW's Department of Medical Affairs, clarified to reporters that euthanasia and palliative care are fundamentally different. Euthanasia ends a patient's life to relieve suffering, whereas palliative care aims to alleviate suffering without ending life. Liu was not aware of the specific illness details from Ko's video, making it difficult to comment directly on the case.

She emphasized future reviews would focus on better integrating palliative care, patient autonomy, and long-term care services, rather than legalizing euthanasia. This includes daily living support, symptom control, pain relief, and caregiver assistance. Liu highlighted the importance of Taiwan's Patient Right to Autonomy Act, noting that many end-of-life regrets arise from patients not expressing their medical wishes while mentally capable.

Advance medical directives under the Act allow individuals to express their wishes early, facilitating end-of-life care through palliative procedures and helping achieve a dignified end-of-life process while avoiding a "life-or-death dilemma." Liu noted that the man's case will be referred to relevant MOHW agencies for support services, with a cross-agency review planned for future policy improvements.