Dr. Jan H. Veldink

The survey by a team led by Dr. Jan H. Veldink of the University Medical Center in Utrecht was described in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.It found that the patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, who were euthanized by their doctors tended to seek death in the final stages of the disease.Those who opted for taking a fatal dose of drugs were more likely to do it earlier in the course of the disease.

In contrast, the rate of physician-assisted death is 10 percent among cancer patients and 22 percent for people with AIDS.Although euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal in the Netherlands, there is no penalty for doing it under special safeguards.

The paper is lead-authored by Jan Veldink of the department of neurology at the University Medical Centre in Utrecht.

Jan H Veldink, MD, of the University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands, and colleagues compared the dietary habits of 132 patients with ALS (without a family history of the disease) and 220 healthy subjects.

The survey by a team led by Dr. Jan H. Veldink of the University Medical Center in Utrecht was described in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.It found that the patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, who were euthanized by their doctors tended to seek death in the final stages of the disease.Those who opted for taking a fatal dose of drugs were more likely to do it earlier in the course of the disease.

Hormone May Be Key to Long-Term Weight Loss -Study 21:07 GMT

BOSTON (Reuters) - A hormone released by the stomach and upper intestine may be the key to helping overweight people shed extra pounds and keep them off, according to a study in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

Study investigator Jan Veldink at University Medical Center Utrecht says that, even with low SMN levels, the risk of developing ALS remains small. With low SMN, it increases from about 1.5 per 100,000 to about six per 100,000.

He said the main implication of the findings is not that people with low SMN should worry about developing ALS, but that understanding SMN's functions may shed new light on the mechanisms underlying ALS development and progression.

Study investigator Jan Veldink at University Medical Center Utrecht says that, even with low SMN levels, the risk of developing ALS remains small. With low SMN, it increases from about 1.5 per 100,000 to about six per 100,000.

He said the main implication of the findings is not that people with low SMN should worry about developing ALS, but that understanding SMN's functions may shed new light on the mechanisms underlying ALS development and progression.