What happens if someone changes their mind at the last minute with VAD?

Australia · 29 August 2026 · 6 min read · Reviewed by Dr Kane Treble

If someone changes their mind before taking or being given voluntary assisted dying (VAD) medication, the process should stop.

General information: This page gives general information for people in Australia. It cannot tell you exactly what will happen in one person's situation. If you have concerns about a symptom, medicine, treatment decision or change in someone's condition, contact their doctor, palliative care team, nurse or other treating health professional. VAD laws, forms and service pathways differ by state and territory, so confirm the current rules with the person's VAD practitioner or official VAD care navigator service.

If someone changes their mind before taking or being given voluntary assisted dying (VAD) medication, the process should stop. VAD is voluntary. The person does not need to give a reason, and family members cannot insist that it goes ahead.

Changing their mind can mean saying "I don't want this", asking to wait, refusing the medication, pushing it away, using a communication aid to say no, or showing clear signs that they do not want to continue. If there is any doubt, the VAD practitioner should be contacted.

VAD is operating in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. News reports said the Northern Territory Parliament passed VAD laws on 27 August 2026, with implementation to follow. At 29 August 2026, an official operational commencement source for the Northern Territory was not verified for these pages, so the Northern Territory is treated here as not yet operational.

The person stays in control

Official VAD processes are built around the person's own choice. Across Australian jurisdictions, the person must make their own request and must be acting voluntarily. Other people can support them, but they cannot request VAD for them or pressure them into continuing.

A person may pause the process for hours, days, weeks or longer, depending on their situation and the law. Some people complete the approval process and never use the medication. In Victoria, official guidance says some people find comfort in having access to the medication even if they never take it.

If the medication has not been taken or given

If the person has not yet taken or been given the VAD medication, stopping is usually straightforward in practice: do not proceed, make sure the medication is stored safely, and contact the VAD practitioner, pharmacist or care navigator for the next steps.

There may be forms, notifications or medication-return rules. The contact person or practitioner may have duties if the medication is no longer needed. These rules differ by jurisdiction.

The person can still receive palliative care, symptom treatment, counselling, spiritual care and other end-of-life support. Stopping VAD should not mean stopping ordinary care.

If the person is about to self-administer

For self-administration, the person must take the medication themselves. If they hesitate, ask to wait, or say they do not want to continue, no one should pressure them or try to help them take it.

People present can offer calm support. For example: "You do not have to do this now. We can wait. We can call your doctor." Keep the medication secure and follow the storage instructions.

If a health professional is present, ask them to guide the next steps. If no health professional is present, call the agreed VAD contact, palliative care team or care navigator.

If practitioner administration was planned

For practitioner administration, the authorised practitioner must follow the law before giving the medication. This may include checking capacity, voluntariness, and a final request, final permission or administration request.

If the person changes their mind, appears unsure, refuses, or cannot make the required request, the practitioner should not administer the medication. The person's family cannot override that decision.

The practitioner should explain what happens next. This may include pausing the process, reassessing later, changing the care plan, returning medication, or ending the VAD process if legal requirements are no longer met.

If family members are upset

A last-minute change can be emotionally hard. Family may have travelled, gathered, said goodbye or prepared themselves. Some may feel relief. Others may feel shocked, frustrated or confused.

The person's choice still controls the process. It may help to name the situation plainly: "They have changed their mind for now. VAD cannot go ahead unless they choose it and meet the legal requirements."

Support people may need their own help from a GP, counsellor, grief service, spiritual care worker, social worker or care navigator.

When to get help now

Contact the VAD practitioner or care navigator immediately if the person says or shows that they want to stop, if anyone is pressuring them, or if there is disagreement about what their words or actions mean.

Call 000 if there is immediate danger, threats, violence, or a medical emergency outside the agreed care plan.