The way assisted suicide is legalised: Balancing a medical framework against a demedicalised model
Abstract
To date, in three European countries and three American states--i.e., The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Switzerland, and the states of Oregon, Washington and Montana--it is permitted by law for one person to assist in the suicide of another person. When comparing the legislations of these countries/states, it becomes apparent that The Netherlands, Luxemburg, Oregon, Washington and Montana have chosen a medical approach (the so-called medical model), whereas the Swiss legal framework for assisted suicide is clearly a non-medical one (the demedicalised model). The differences between these two models mainly concern two aspects: the requirement as to the capacity of the person providing assistance in suicide and the condition regarding the state of health of the person committing suicide. A closer view on the practice of assisted suicide in the depenalising countries shows that the differences are smaller than initially thought. Nevertheless, important distinctions still remain. When analysing which model is most preferable, it is concluded that an involvement of a physician is inevitable and necessary and that the requirement of a certain medical condition is needed to set a clear and objective limit.
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The advices issued by the consulted physicians are merely advisory.
“The advices issued by the consulted physicians are merely advisory (Delbeke, 2011(Delbeke, , 2012;;Vansweevelt, 2003).”
From Psychiatric patients requesting euthanasia: Guidelines for sound clinical and ethical decision making (2019) · cites this paper as Delbeke, 2011
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Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Brinkman‐Stoppelenburg, A., Penning, C., de Jong-Krul, G. J., van Delden, J. J. M., & van der Heide, A. (2012) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(12)61034-4 · Cited by 352 · see citing works
Radbruch, L., Leget, C. J. W., Bahr, P., Müller-Busch, C., Ellershaw, J., Conno, F. D., Berghe, P. V., & on behalf of the board members of the EAPC (2015) · Palliative Medicine · doi:10.1177/0269216315616524 · Cited by 271 · see citing works
Verhofstadt, M., Van Assche, K., Sterckx, S., Audenaert, K., & Chambaere, K. (2019) · International Journal of Law and Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2019.04.004 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Responses to assisted suicide requests: an interview study with Swiss palliative care physicians
Gamondi, C., Borasio, G. D., Oliver, P., Preston, N. J., & Payne, S. A. (2017) · BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care · doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2016-001291 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Trajectories to seeking demedicalised assistance in suicide: a qualitative in-depth interview study
Hagens, M., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., & Pasman, H. R. W. (2016) · Journal of Medical Ethics · doi:10.1136/medethics-2016-103660 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Los confines del derecho fundamental a la vida
Arruego, G. (2019) · Revista Española de Derecho Constitucional · doi:10.18042/cepc/redc.115.04 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Delbeke, 2011.”
Physician-assisted dying and psychiatry: Recent developments in the Netherlands
Pols, H., & Oak, S. (2013) · International Journal of Law and Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2013.06.015 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Assisted Suicide in Switzerland: the Advent of a “Pattern for Misconduct”
Berthod, M.-A., Pillonel, A., & Dransart, D. A. C. (2021) · Swiss Journal of Sociology · doi:10.2478/sjs-2021-0001 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Las coordenadas de la Ley Orgánica de regulación de la eutanasia
Arruego, G. (2021) · Revista Española de Derecho Constitucional · doi:10.18042/cepc/redc.122.03 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Delbeke, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Delbeke, Evelien
- Venue
- European Journal of Health Law
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 149-162
- ISSN
- 0929-0273 (ISSN-L)
- 1571-8093
- OpenAlex
- W2034309502
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2021: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Journal of Health Law (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Medical and Health Sciences Research
- Keywords
- assisted suicide, assisted dying, biomedical model, physician participation, comparative law, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Oregon, Washington, Montana
- MeSH terms
- Europe, Humans, Physician's Role, United States, Suicide, Assisted
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