ABSTRACT
In some cases terminally ill patients fear of prolonged dying and suffering can manifest itself in the voluntary refusal of food and fluids, aiming to accelerate the dying process. This represents a considerable area of conflict, because of the ethical responsibility to not aid a person's death but also to respect a patients autonomy.There is a clear separation between an assisted suicide and following a patient's wishes. Not to accept the voluntary refusal of FVNF would have to be considered as forced treatment of patients while they are capable of self-determination.Several symptoms associated with or caused by voluntary refusal of food and fluids do require palliative care. It is important to be aware, that caring for dying patients refusing food and fluids and accepting their choice is not synonymous with assisted suicide. Rather is it part of medical and nursing care for patients during their dying-process.An interprofessional working group of the Austrian Palliative Society (OPG) intends to shed light on the legal, ethical, medical and nursing related aspects concerning this subject of growing public and professional interest.
Subject(s)
Palliative Care/methods , Personal Autonomy , Starvation , Suicide, Assisted , Austria , Ethical Analysis , Humans , Morals , Patient Participation , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
The present paper delves into the question of whether and to what extent it is appropriate to leave addiction problems between the conflicting priorities of therapy and criminalization. After outlining the issue the criminal addictive behaviour including crimes associated with drug misuse and with obtaining drugs is described. Subsequently it is discussed if and how you could make allowances for addiction-related legal insanity in the criminal law sector. Following a few remarks on the principle of "voluntary therapy instead of penal sanction" as a way to alleviate the strict law on narcotic drugs misuse a summary and an outlook with criminal-political demands complete the issue.
