Selected Online Reading on Assisted Dying

This open access book has been written by ten Belgian health care professionals, nurses, university professors and doctors specializing in palliative care and ethicists who, together, raise questions concerning the practice of euthanasia.  They share their experiences and reflections born out of their confrontation with requests for euthanasia and end-of-life support in a country where euthanasia has been decriminalized since 2002 and is now becoming a trivial topic. Far from evoking any militancy, these stories of life and death present the other side of a reality needs to be evaluated more rigorously. Featuring multidisciplinary perspectives, this though-provoking and original book is intended not only for caregivers but also for anyone who questions the meaning of death and suffering, as well as the impact of a law passed in 2002. Presenting real-world cases and experiences, it highlights the complexity of situations and the consequences of the euthanasia law. This book appeals to palliative care providers, hematologists, oncologists, psychiatrists, nurses and health professionals as well as researchers, academics, policy-makers, and social scientists working in health care. It is also a unique resource for those in countries where the decriminalization of euthanasia is being considered. Sometimes shocking, it focuses on facts and lived experiences to challenge readers and offer insights into euthanasia in Belgium.

»Assisted Death in German and Chilean Criminal Law« The author examines to what extent the actual regulation of assisted death in Germany and Chile is legitimate and – as criminal policy – reasonable. The investigation shows that the different understanding of the constitutional right to life in both countries leads to diverging outlooks towards assisted death. Additionally, the author suggests a system which basically forbids assisted death, but also includes strictly procedurally controlled exceptions.

Examining the evidence from Belgium - one of only five countries where euthanasia is practised legally - an international panel of experts considers the implications of legalised euthanasia and assisted suicide. Looking at the issue from an international perspective, the authors have written an invaluable in-depth analysis of the ethical aspects of this complex area. The discussion forms a solid foundation for informed debate about assisted dying. With contributors from a broad range of disciplines, this book is ideal for students, academics, legislators and anyone interested in legal, medical, social and philosophical ethics. A vital and timely examination of a growing phenomenon and one of the most challenging ethical questions of our time.

Bedingt durch den medizinischen Fortschritt sind die Grenzen der Lebenserhaltung, insbesondere die Frage nach der Legitimation von Sterbehilfe und Suizidassistenz, in den Fokus nicht nur der Medizin und Rechtswissenschaft, sondern auch der gesellschaftlichen Debatte geruckt. Das Werk beschaftigt sich mit den Auswirkungen der Neuregelung der Patientenverfugung auf Legitimationsmoglichkeiten der Sterbe- und Suizidbeihilfe. Auf Grundlage des Patientenwillens wird unter Heranziehung des 34 StGB eine Rechtfertigungslosung entwickelt. Dabei wird insbesondere das Spannungsverhaltnis zwischen Zivil- und Strafrecht beleuchtet. Zudem erfolgt eine Auseinandersetzung mit der Rechtsprechung des Bundesgerichtshofs zur Sterbehilfe sowie der von ihm entwickelten Einwilligungslosung. Schliesslich wird 217 StGB einer kritischen Wurdigung im Hinblick auf seine Verfassungsmassigkeit unterzogen und es werden alternative Moglichkeiten der Suizidpravention aufgezeigt.

Law, Palliative Care and Dying critically examines the role of the legal framework in shaping the boundaries of palliative care practice. The work underlines the importance of a distinct legal framework for specialist palliative care which can provide clarity for both the healthcare professional and the patient. It examines the legal and ethical justifications for specialist palliative care practices and, in doing so, it questions the legitimacy of the distinction between euthanasia and practices such as palliative sedation. Moreover, this work discusses the influence of a human rights discourse on palliative care and examines the contribution of autonomy, dignity, and the right to palliative care. This book includes detailed comparative research on several European jurisdictions. The jurisdictions illustrate varied approaches to palliative care regulation and promotion. In this manner, the role of professional guidelines and legislation are drawn out and common themes in the regulation of palliative care emerge.

In this introductory text on thanatology, Alan Kemp continues to take on the central question of mortality: the centrality of death coupled with the denial of death in the human experience. Drawing from the work of Ernest Becker, Death, Dying, and Bereavement in a Changing World provides a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach to the study of death, putting extra emphasis on the how death takes place in a rapidly changing world. This new, second edition includes the most up-to-date research, data, and figures related to death and dying. New research on the alternative death movement, natural disaster-related deaths, and cannabis as a form of treatment for life-threatening illnesses, and updated research on physician-assisted suicide, as well as on grief as it relates to the DSM-5 have been added.

Das Buch dokumentiert die Beiträge des internationalen Symposiums ,,Assistierter Suizid: Der Stand der Wissenschaft" vom 15. Juni 2015 in Berlin. Es bietet einen einmaligen Überblick über die aktuellen empirischen Untersuchungen zum Thema, die in der politischen Debatte teilweise schlicht ignoriert wurden und immer noch ignoriert werden. Es enthält außerdem die Transkripte aufschlussreicher Pro-Contra Debatten zwischen Vertretern unterschiedlicher Positionen aus den Fachgebieten Recht, Medizin und Ethik. Am Schluss steht eine ausführliche Kommentierung des neuen Gesetzes ,,zur Strafbarkeit der geschäftsmäßigen Förderung der Selbsttötung" aus rechtlicher, medizinischer und ethischer Perspektive. Die Autoren und Herausgeber sind international ausgewiesene Experten aus Deutschland und aus anderen Staaten, in denen die Tötung auf Verlangen und/oder der assistierte Suizid gesetzlich geregelt sind (Niederlande, Schweiz, USA).

Providing a thorough, well-researched investigation of the socio-legal issues surrounding medically assisted death for the past century, this book traces the origins of the controversy and discusses the future of policymaking in this arena domestically and abroad. Should terminally ill adults be allowed to kill themselves with their physician's assistance? While a few American states--as well as Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg--have answered "yes," in the vast majority of the United States, assisted death remains illegal. This book provides a historical and comparative perspective that not only frames contemporary debates about assisted death and deepens readers' understanding of the issues at stake, but also enables realistic predictions for the likelihood of the future diffusion of legalization to more countries or states--the consequences of which are vast. Spanning a period from 1906 to the present day, Dying with Dignity: A Legal Approach to Assisted Death examines how and why pleas for legalization of "euthanasia" made at the beginning of the 20th century were transmuted into the physician-assisted suicide laws in existence today, in the United States as well as around the world. After an introductory section that discusses the phenomenon of "medicalization" of death, author Giza Lopes, PhD, covers the history of the legal development of "aid-in-dying" in the United States, focusing on case studies from the late 1900s to today, then addresses assisted death in select European nations. The concluding section discusses what the past legal developments and decisions could portend for the future of assisted death. * Provides comprehensive, well-researched, and accessible information on a timely and controversial topic * Presents a socio-legal explanation rather than a simple description of the emergence and evolution of the legal concepts involved with medically assisted death * Offers invaluable historical perspective for academics in the fields of sociology, criminal justice, law, and related disciplines as well as practitioners who deal with end-of-life decision-making and lay readers

This book considers how the termination of life might be accepted in the view of a general obligation to protect life. It features more than 10 papers written by scholars from 14 countries that offer international comparative empirical research. Inside, readers will find case studies from such areas as: India, Chile, Germany, Italy, England, Palestine, Lithuania, Nigeria, and Poland. The papers focus on three limitations of the right to life: the death penalty, abortion, and euthanasia. The contributors explore how young people understand and evaluate the right to life and its limitations. The book presents unique empirical research among today's youth and reveals that, among other concepts, religiosity matters. It provides insight into the acceptance, perception, and legitimation of human rights by people from different religious and cultural backgrounds. This investigation rigorously tests for inter-individual differences regarding political and judicial rights on religious grounds, while controlling for other characteristics. It will help readers better understand the many facets of this fundamental, yet controversial, philosophical question. The volume will be of interest to students, researchers, as well as general readers searching for answers.

Sterben, Tod und die Bewältigung der Trauer werden vordergründig als vom Menschen unbeeinflussbare Ereignisse bzw. als Ausdruck individuellen Verhaltens gesehen. Im Grunde sind die dabei entstandenen Richtungen und Formen aber Kultur, also gesellschaftlich bedingt. Das gilt für die Auseinandersetzung mit dem Sinn des Sterbens, für die Ursachen und Orte des Todes, für die Formen der Trauerbewältigung, die Vielfalt der Bestattungsarten und Gedenkrituale. Geblieben ist dem Tod die Ambivalenz. So gelang es in modernen Gesellschaften ihn erfolgreich zu bekämpfen, d.h. hinauszuschieben. Andererseits gibt es noch immer die absichtsvolle, politisch legitimierte Tötung.