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[Assisted death in daily surgical practice--an interdisciplinary discussion with examples]
S Willis1, A Tittel, F Clermont
1Chirurgische Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik, RWTH Aachen. swillis@ukaachen.de
Der Chirurg; Zeitschrift Fur Alle Gebiete Der Operativen Medizen
|September 25, 2003
Summary
New laws on assisted patient death in the Netherlands and Belgium fuel debate in Germany. While the public supports assisted death, physicians largely reject it, highlighting a significant ethical and legal divide.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Bioethics
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- Recent legislative changes in the Netherlands and Belgium concerning assisted patient death have intensified discussions on its ethical and legal permissibility in Germany.
- German physicians report increasing patient and family requests for assisted death, reflecting a growing societal interest in end-of-life options.
Observation:
- A symposium in October 2002, titled 'Clinically Assisted Death and Human Dignity - A Dutch-German Dialogue,' presented case studies to explore complex issues surrounding assisted death.
- Public opinion polls indicate majority support for active death assistance within the general population.
- Physician surveys reveal a prevalent rejection of active death assistance among medical professionals.
Findings:
- The study compiles diverse perspectives on assisted death from physicians, ethicists, theologians, jurists, politicians, and journalists.
- There is a notable divergence between public support and physician reluctance regarding active death assistance.
Implications:
- The findings underscore the need for comprehensive ethical, legal, and societal discourse on assisted death in Germany.
- Understanding these differing viewpoints is crucial for developing informed policies and guidelines on end-of-life care and patient autonomy.