As Natural as Sleep: A Literature Study of Catholic Perspectives on Palliative Sedation

The Roman Catholic Church has a long-standing tradition of participating in the debates on the ethics of medical care. At the heart of the Church's reflections on this subject lies a deep respect for the dignity of individual patients and human life in general. This respect is also an expression of reverence for God and an acknowledgement of His sovereignty over human life. In the context of palliative care, these basic convictions have led to a strong rejection within Catholicism of those treatments that actively seek to end a patient's life (e.g. euthanasia, medical assistance in dying). Catholic views on palliative sedation, another possible end-of-life treatment, are less clear and forthright. As religion influences the attitudes of both patients and healthcare professionals towards end-of-life treatments, it is important to know and understand these views. This study aims to answer the following research question: what are the perspectives on palliative sedation within the catholic tradition? A comprehensive, systematic literature study was conducted, to identify and map the different perspectives on palliative sedation within the Catholic tradition. The methodology of a scoping review was adopted. The analysis of the sources was based on the Grounded Theory model and the model of systematic reviewing argument-based literature. This study draws on a wide range of sources, both academic and non-academic. The initial conclusion is that palliative sedation is welcomed as a means of alleviating patients' suffering. However, there are reservations. One such concern is that palliative sedation should be clearly distinguished from deliberate efforts to end the life of the patient. There are also concerns about the effect that the impaired consciousness could have on patients' spiritual lives.