scholarly journals Along the Italian route of End-of-life: the latest judicial evolution on assisted suicide

Bioethica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Teresa Andreani
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Criminal Code ◽  
Pharmacological Therapy ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Constitutional Court ◽  
Life Saving ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
The Individual

In the last three decades, the dilemma of End-of-Life is one of the most disputed bio-juridical questions Italy is confronting with. By raising highly sensitive ethical, legal and political dilemmas, it has deeply divided the Italian society, the scientific community and the political arena. In the context of a raging controversy, the Italian Parliament has opted for silence. Thus, an evolutive, judicial route has marked the legal frame in response to numerous, concrete demands of recognition of the freedom of self-determination and value of dignity in the final phase of life. In this review article, an overview of the judicial evolution of the complex mosaic of end-of-life issues will be firstly offered through three cases, pillars on which the latest judicial evolution on assisted suicide lays its foundations. Secondly, the issue of assisted suicide will be singularly addressed through the examination of the Cappato case which has outlined the path for the historical ruling of the Italian Constitutional Court, no'242 of 2019 on the constitutional illegitimacy of the crime of assistance to suicide under article 580 of the Italian Criminal Code. Precisely, the Court has pointed out several, concurrent requirements in presence of which an active conduct directly connected with suicide is not criminally relevant: the autonomous and free formation of the individual will, the irreversible nature of the disease, the ongoing practice of a life-saving treatment, the intolerability of the physical or psychological sufferings and the mental capacity to self-determination. Among the numerous, emerging, interpretative questions, the latest Trentini case, in which the requirement of life-saving treatment has been interpreted as inclusive of pharmacological therapy and of every material, sanitary life-saving assistance, will be further evaluated. Conclusively, a cross section of the fragile interplay between the legislative power and the judiciary power will be depicted in reference to the main open interpretative questions related to the enforcement of the constitutional ruling and a portrait of the upcoming scenerios, as the existing legislative drafts and the prepositive referendum question, will be concisely examined.

scholarly journals End-of-Life Issues in the United States after Terri Schiavo: Implications for Social Work Practice

10.18060/1841 ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darrel Montero
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
The Status ◽  
End Of Life Issues

The very public death of Terri Schiavo in 2005 alerted Americans to what is a growing ethical, medical, and social crisis: the status of end-of-life issues and decisions in the United States. Currently, Oregon is the only state to give terminally ill patients the right to end their lives, with physicians’ help, if they so choose. Public opinion data from 1977 to the present show that Americans support greater rights for individuals facing end-of-life decisions--up to and including physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. This paper considers the status of end-of-life issues in the United States after Terri Schiavo’s death and examines the opportunities for advocacy by social workers who serve clients and families encountering this complex and controversial issue.

10. Dying and Death

2020 ◽  
pp. 532-622
Author(s):  
Jonathan Herring
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Medical Treatment ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Definition Of Death ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
The Law ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Complex Cases

This chapter examines the legal and ethical aspects of death. It begins with a discussion of the difficulty of the choosing a definition of ‘death’. It then sets out the law on a range of ‘end-of-life issues’, including euthanasia, assisted suicide, and refusal of medical treatment. It considers some particularly complex cases in which the law is not always easy to apply. These include the administration of pain-relieving drugs, the treatment of severely disabled newborn children, and the position of patients suffering from PVS. Next, the chapter considers the ethical debates surrounding euthanasia, assisted suicide, and terminating treatment. This is followed by a discussion of palliative care and hospices.

scholarly journals Le questioni di “fine vita” alla luce dell’umana attesa di compimento

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristoforo Ricci
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Human Being ◽  
First Case ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
The Way ◽  
The Human Condition

Le questioni di “fine vita” sono attualmente oggetto di un acceso dibattito. Infatti, sono sorte numerose correnti di pensiero volte al conseguimento della legittimazione di condotte tese ad anticipare o posticipare la morte di un individuo rispetto alla sua fine naturale. Questo dibattito si è concentrato soprattutto su aspetti legati alla qualità della vita, alla dignità nel morire ed alla prevalenza del diritto all’autodeterminazione del singolo o del principio di indisponibilità della vita. Lo scopo del presente studio è quello di esaminare il problema sotto una diversa luce. Infatti, si vogliono esaminare le questioni di “fine vita” alla luce del senso di attesa connaturato alla condizione umana al fine di individuare la soluzione più ragionevole. Orbene, siccome la condizione umana risulta essere intrinsecamente caratterizzata da un’attesa di infinito, l’uomo in ogni circostanza si trova davanti ad una scelta. Infatti, ogni essere umano può trascurare tale desiderio o dare ad esso risposte parziali, ripiegandosi in se stesso, oppure può aprirsi all’infinito. Questa scelta ha delle rilevanti conseguenze circa il modo di vedere e vivere le circostanze della vita. Infatti, nel primo caso, nulla sembra veramente appagare il desiderio e l’attesa dell’uomo e, pertanto, in ogni circostanza ciò che finisce per prevalere è alla lunga il lamento, la tristezza e l’ansia. Nel secondo caso, invece, ogni circostanza acquista un senso poiché, per quanto negativa o banale possa essere, costituisce la modalità attraverso la quale il Mistero chiama l’uomo a Sé per non farlo cadere nel nulla e questa consapevolezza finisce per generare letizia. Pertanto, sembra più ragionevole ed umano aprirsi al Mistero e, conseguentemente, laddove le cure abbiano un’efficacia reale e vi siano concrete ed oggettive possibilità di sopravvivenza, non sembrano condivisibili le richieste di legittimazione di tutte quelle condotte tese ad anticipare la morte di un individuo rispetto alla sua fine naturale come l’eutanasia, il suicidio assistito, e la rinuncia o il rifiuto di cure salva-vita proporzionate. ---------- In the field of bioethics, the “end of life” issues are currently motive of an inflamed debate. In fact, many schools of thought have arisen in consideration of legitimization of behaviors destined to anticipate or postpone the death of individuals in relation to their natural end. This debate has focused primarily on issues related to the quality of life, the dignity in dying and the prevalence of the right to self-determination of the individual or principle of the unwillingness of life. The purpose of this study is to examine the problem in a different light. In fact, we want to examine the “end of life” issues in the light of the sense of waiting innate to the human condition in order to identify the most reasonable solution. Now then, since the human condition is intrinsically characterized by a waiting of infinity, the human being is continually called to make a choice. In fact, every human being can ignore this desire or give partial answers to it, withdrawing into oneself, or it can be open to infinity. This choice has important consequences on the way to see and live the circumstances of life. In fact, in the first case, nothing seems to really satisfy the desire and waiting of individuals, and, therefore, in every circumstance prevails in the long run lament, sadness and anxiety. In the second case, instead, every circumstance makes sense because, though it may be negative or trifling, it’s the way of the Mystery to call the individuals to Himself so as to not drop them in the nothingness and, ultimately, so as to generate gladness. Therefore, it seems more reasonable and humane the opening to Mystery and, consequently, where treatments are really effective and there are concrete and objective chances of survival, it does not seem shareable the requests of legitimization of all those behaviors destined to anticipate the death of individuals in relation to their natural end, such as euthanasia, assisted suicide and withholding or withdrawing of proportionate life-sustaining treatments.

scholarly journals Profili storici del dibattito italiano sul testamento biologico ed esame comparato dei disegni di legge all’esame della XII Commissione (Igiene e Sanità) del Senato

2007 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Casini ◽  
Maria Luisa Di Pietro ◽  
Carlo Casini
Keyword(s):  
Informed Consent ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Living Will ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
National Commission ◽  
Critical Elements ◽  
Current Discussion ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues

Il contributo prende in esame gli otto disegni di legge sul c.d. “testamento biologico” in discussione presso la XII Commissione (Igiene e Sanità) del Senato. L’analisi è condotta a partire sia dalle vicende che hanno portato al dibattito attuale, sia dall’indicazione delle varie proposte di legge che si sono succedute dalla XIII legislatura . Vengono così richiamati: l’iniziativa per la diffusione della “Biocard”, la Convenzione di Oviedo del 1997 ratificata nel 2001, il “caso Englaro”, il “Rapporto Oleari”, il parere del Comitato Nazionale per la Bioetica sulle dichiarazioni anticipate di trattamento, il “caso Welby”. Queste vicende aiutano a cogliere la ratio e la portata dei disegni di legge in oggetto. La parte centrale dell’articolo riguardante i profili di convergenza e di divergenza delle normative in discussione è seguita dall’indicazione degli elementi di criticità relativi al testamento biologico così come disciplinato nei disegni di legge. La valutazione di tali elementi riguardanti aspetti tutt’altro che secondari circa problematiche di fine vita, porta alla seguente considerazione: sebbene il “testamento biologico” venga presentato come semplice strumento di “allargamento” del consenso/dissenso informato che nulla ha a che vedere con l’eutanasia, in realtà questo strumento si offre come veicolo per introdurre nell’ordinamento giuridico logiche eutanasiche, favorendo pratiche di abbandono delle persone fragili e, dunque, incoraggiando scelte rinunciatarie. A questo punto si impone una domanda: di quale “autodeterminazione” si tratta? ---------- This paper examines the eight bills concerning the so-called “living will” discussed by the XII Commission (Health and Hygiene Committee) of the Senate. The analysis is based both on the events that prompted the current discussion, and on the information of the various legal proposals that have developed since the 13th legislature. The essay discusses: the initiative for the diffusion of the “Biocard,” the 1997 Oviedo Convention ratified in 2001, the “Englaro case,” the “Oleari Report,” the opinion of the National Commission for Bioethics concerning prior declarations with regard to treatment, the “Welby case.” These events help explain the reasoning and the range of the bills involved. The central part of the article focuses on the converging and diverging profiles of the norms being discussed. This is followed by a demonstration of the critical elements relating to the biological will as they are understood in the bills. The evaluation of such elements regarding aspects of primary importance concerning end-of-life issues leads to the following consideration: although the “living will” is being presented simply as a means of “enlarging” informed consent/dissent, which has nothing to do with euthanasia, in reality, this “enlarging” introduces into the legal sphere arguments for euthanasia, thus favoring ways of abandoning fragile persons and, consequently, encouraging them to give up. At this point a question arises: what is “self determination”?

Incorporating End-of-Life Issues into Psychology Courses

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Werth
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Professional Issues ◽  
Graduate Courses ◽  
American Psychological ◽  
End Of Life Decisions ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Psychology Courses ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues

The American Psychological Association's Working Group on Assisted Suicide and End-of-Life Decisions (2000) recently called for the development of resources to assist training programs in incorporating end-of-life issues into undergraduate and graduate courses. After explaining why teaching about the dying process is relevant to psychology, I provide suggestions for how instructors can include end-of-life issues and decisions in courses on ethical, legal, and professional issues; adult and life span development; counseling diverse populations; and assessment and diagnosis. Each section contains a brief review of key issues, provides sample discussion questions, and highlights appropriate references.

Empirical Analysis of Suicide Tourism

2019 ◽  
pp. 137-178
Author(s):  
Daniel Sperling
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Empirical Analysis ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Social Phenomenon ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Uk

This chapter provides an empirical analysis of suicide tourism. It includes extracts of interviews with key stakeholders in the field of assisted suicide from around Europe. In many countries, there have been legal and public proceedings discussing end-of-life issues (notably assisted suicide), accompanied by varied media coverage of stories of suicide tourism. In some cases, for example Canada, suicide tourism was a social phenomenon that the legislator wanted to prevent while legalizing assisted suicide. In others, especially the UK and Germany, suicide tourism was referred to by opponents or supporters of proposed laws to legalize or criminalize assisted suicide. This chapter reflects on the fact that, despite these proceedings and the many arguments raised by campaigners to change existing prohibitions against assisted suicide in countries of origin, the law in these countries has not changed, and in some cases its position on assisted suicide has become more prohibitive.

9. Dying and Death

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Herring
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Medical Treatment ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Definition Of Death ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
The Law ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Complex Cases

This chapter examines the legal and ethical aspects of death. It begins with a discussion of the difficulty of the choosing a definition of ‘death’. It then sets out the law on a range of ‘end-of-life issues’, including euthanasia, assisted suicide, and refusal of medical treatment. It considers some particularly complex cases in which the law is not always easy to apply. These include the administration of pain-relieving drugs, the treatment of severely disabled newborn children, and the position of patients suffering from PVS. Next, the chapter considers the ethical debates surrounding euthanasia, assisted suicide, and terminating treatment. This is followed by a discussion of palliative care and hospices.

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