The ongoing discussion on termination of life on request. A review from a German/European perspective

Moeller, Hans-Jürgen (2020): The ongoing discussion on termination of life on request. A review from a German/European perspective. In: International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, Bd. 25, Nr. 1: S. 2-18

Abstract

Background: Interest in the topic of termination of life has been growing for 2 decades. After legalisation of active euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) in the Netherlands in 2002, movements to implement similar laws started in other European countries. However, many people objected to legalisation on the basis of the experiences in the Netherlands and as a matter of principal. Methods: This selected and focussed review presents the theoretical discussions about EAS and describes the respective parliamentary discussions in Germany and the data and experiences in the Netherlands. It also considers people with mental disorders in the context of termination-of-life services. Results: So far, only a few European countries have introduced legislation on EAS. Legalisation of EAS in the Netherlands resulted in an unexpectedly large increase in cases. The number of people with mental disorders who terminate their lives on request remains low. Conclusions: Experience from the Netherlands shows that widening criteria for EAS has problematic consequences.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 1365-1501
• Sprache: Englisch