Facing a request for assisted death - views of Finnish physicians, a mixed method study.

BACKGROUND: Assisted death, including euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), is under debate worldwide, and these practices are adopted in many Western countries. Physicians' attitudes toward assisted death vary across the globe, but little is known about physicians' actual reactions when facing a request for assisted death. There is a clear gap in evidence on how physicians act and respond to patients' requests for assisted death in countries where these actions are not legal. METHODS: A survey including statements concerning euthanasia and PAS and an open question about their actions when facing a request for assisted death was sent to all Finnish physicians. Quantitative data are presented as numbers and percentages. Statistical significance was tested by using the Pearson chi-square test, when appropriate. The qualitative analysis was performed by using an inductive content analysis approach, where categories emerge from the data. RESULTS: Altogether, 6889 physicians or medical students answered the survey, yielding a response rate of 26%. One-third of participants agreed or partly agreed that they could assist a patient in a suicide. The majority (69%) of the participants fully or partly agreed that euthanasia should only be accepted due to difficult physical symptoms, while 12% fully or partly agreed that life turning into a burden should be an acceptable reason for euthanasia. Of the participants, 16% had faced a request for euthanasia or PAS, and 3033 answers from 2565 respondents were achieved to the open questions concerning their actions regarding the request and ethical aspects of assisted death. In the qualitative analysis, six main categories, including 22 subcategories, were formed regarding the phenomenon of how physicians act when facing this request. The six main categories were as follows: providing an alternative to the request, enabling care and support, ignoring the request, giving a reasoned refusal, complying with the request, and seeing the request as a possibility. CONCLUSIONS: Finnish physicians' actions regarding the requests for assisted death, and attitudes toward euthanasia and PAS vary substantially. Open discussion, education, and recommendations concerning a request for assisted death and ethics around it are also highly needed in countries where euthanasia and PAS are not legal.

Frequency of self-directed dying in the Netherlands: research protocol of a cross-sectional mixed-methods study.

INTRODUCTION: In the Netherlands, assisting in suicide is allowed for physicians and regulated by the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (review procedures) Act. However, some people decide to end their lives outside the medical domain, without a physician's help. Two approaches for such self-directed dying are voluntary stopping eating and drinking (VSED) and independently taking lethal medication attended by a confidant (ILMC). The frequency of deaths by either of these methods in the Netherlands was examined in 2007. Since then, there have been societal, political and healthcare developments which may have had an influence on the frequency of self-directed dying. The primary objective of this study is to estimate how many people in the Netherlands currently die by VSED or ILMC. Secondary objectives include providing insight in the characteristics and quality of dying of people who choose for self-directed dying. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This cross-sectional study consists of an online questionnaire study (January to February 2024) among a randomly drawn sample (n=37 500) from a representative panel of the Dutch adult population in which participants are asked about potential experiences of close relatives choosing for VSED or ILMC. A two-stage screening procedure will be used to determine whether the respondents' experiences represent a death by VSED or ILMC. Additional interviews (n=40) will be held with questionnaire respondents indicating their willingness to participate (May to September 2024). Quantitative data will be analysed using SPSS software, and qualitative data will be thematically analysed using NVivo software. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study obtained approval from the Medical Research Ethics Committee of the Erasmus Medical Center, under number MEC-2023-0689. Informed consent will be sought from study participants in line with General Data Protection Regulation legislation. Results of the study will be disseminated through publications in scientific journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06186791.

Rural healthcare professionals' participation in Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): beyond a binary decision.

BACKGROUND: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in 2016 and amended in 2021. At the time that this study was conducted, the federal government was considering expanding the eligibility criteria to include patients whose death was not reasonably foreseeable. The purpose of this study was to better understand rural healthcare professionals' experiences with assisted dying set against the backdrop of legislative expansion. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken with general rural practice physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, ethicists, patients, and patient families in rural Southern Alberta, Canada. For this paper, data from 18 audio-recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals were analyzed using thematic analysis. Categories and patterns of shared meaning that linked to an overarching theme were identified. RESULTS: Between the binary positions of full support for and conscientious objection to assisted dying, rural healthcare professionals' decisions to participate in MAiD was based on their moral convictions, various contextual factors, and their participation thresholds. Factors including patient suffering; personal and professional values and beliefs; relationships with colleagues, patients and family, and community; and changing MAiD policy and legislation created nuances that informed their decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: The interplay of multiple factors and their degree of influence on healthcare professionals' decision-making create multiple decision points between full support for and participation in MAiD processes and complete opposition and/or abstention. Moreover, our findings suggest evolving policy and legislation have the potential to increase rural healthcare professionals' uncertainty and level of discomfort in providing services. We propose that the binary language typically used in the MAiD discourse be reframed to reflect that decision-making processes and actions are often fluid and situational.

No (true) right to die: barriers in access to physician-assisted death in case of psychiatric disease, advanced dementia or multiple geriatric syndromes in the Netherlands.

Even in the Netherlands, where the practice of physician-assisted death (PAD) has been legalized for over 20 years, there is no such thing as a 'right to die'. Especially patients with extraordinary requests, such as a wish for PAD based on psychiatric suffering, advanced dementia, or (a limited number of) multiple geriatric syndromes, encounter barriers in access to PAD. In this paper, we discuss whether these barriers can be justified in the context of the Dutch situation where PAD is legally permitted for those who suffer unbearably and hopelessly as a result of medical conditions. Furthermore, we explore whether there are options to address some of the barriers or their consequences, both within the Dutch legal framework or by adjusting the legal framework, and whether these options are feasible. We conclude that although there are insufficient arguments to overrule the doctor's freedom of conscience in the Netherlands, there are ways to address some of the barriers, mainly by offering support to doctors that would be willing to support a request. Moreover, we believe it is morally required to reduce or mitigate where possible the negative consequences of the barriers for patients, such as the long waiting time for those who suffer from psychiatric disorders, because it is unlikely the adjustments suggested to the system will ensure reasonable access for these patient groups.

First Case of Medically Assisted Suicide in Italy Set New Legal Perspectives.

Abstract: The first act of assisted suicide in Italy was recently carried out. This event is an absolute novelty for the country, affected by recent legislative changes aimed only at introducing the right to interrupt health treatments and, therefore, carry out exclusively omissive end-of-life acts. These normative provisions lay their foundations in a cultural context centered on the protection of the right to life and health; however, the cases that have occurred over time, including the famous story of DJ Fabo, have led the Constitutional Court to re-evaluate these dictates, introducing in 2019 the right to resort to assisted suicide procedures within well-defined areas, including incurability of the condition, the serious suffering of the individual and the retained ability to stand trial. The case addressed concerns a quadriplegic subject who was the victim of a road accident. Following consultation with a specialized institution, the subject made the decision to undergo an assisted sui-cide procedure in Italy. Having obtained the authorization from the competent authorities, he started a fundraiser to finance the devices and drugs required and, finally, he died. The opening by Italy towards the assisted suicide procedure represents a great step towards a broad context, as well as a decisive act for the purpose of protecting the right to self-determination of the individual. However, the current legislative framework presents significant criticalities and shortcomings. In first place, the dissonance between the laws in force and the judicial sentences is likely to generate problems of uneven application of the rules in a country dominated by the principle of Civil Law. Furthermore, the need for the applicant to fully self-finance the procedure clearly clashes with the constitutional principle of free access to care. Then emerges the need for a guideline document regarding the completion of the procedure itself, the times, methods and drugs implied, in order to significantly reduce the decision-making process by the ethics committees that still weighs on each individual case. Finally, conside-ring what has been observed on the subject of voluntary termination of pregnancy, it is necessary to ask what will be the general orientation of the doctors called to perform the act and whether they will be given the opportunity to express their refusal. The case analyzed could represent the beginning of a new era for Italian culture, but the large-scale application of assisted suicide procedures requires the introduction of legislative provisions that definitively eliminate the critical issues that have emerged so far.

The debate rages on: physician-assisted suicide in an ethical light.

The British Medical Association and some Royal Colleges have recently changed their stance on physician-assisted suicide from 'opposed' to forms of 'neutral'. The Royal College of Anaesthetists will poll members soon on whether to follow suit. Elsewhere neutrality amongst professional bodies has preceded legalisation of physician-assisted suicide. We examine the arguments relevant to the anaesthesia community and its potential impact in the UK.

Eutanásia Voluntária Ativa, Suicídio Assistido, Ortotanásia e os Cuidados Paliativos: um panorama das discussões no Poder Legislativo Federal Brasileiro / Eutanàsia Voluntària Activa, Suïcidi Assistit, Ortotanàsia i Cures Pal·liatives: un panorama de les discussions en el Poder Legislatiu Federal brasiler / Eutanasia Voluntaria Activa, Suicidio Asistido, Ortotanasia y Cuidados Paliativos: un panorama de las discusiones en el Poder Legislativo Federal brasileño / Voluntary Active Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, Orthothanasia and Palliative Care: An overview of the discussions in the Brazilian Federal Legislative Power

No âmbito das proposições legislativas brasileiras, buscou-se compreender os desafiose obstáculos no percurso delimitativo das práticas de fim de vida. Analisou-se 193 documentos, desde 1981 até 2020, com base na metodologia hermenêutica-dialética. Evidenciou-se distintas propostas regulamentadoras das práticas de eutanásia e ortotanásia,na relação com os cuidados paliativos. As associações dos termos “cuidados paliativos” e “ortotanásia”, em oposição à “eutanásia/suicídio assistido, revelaram a conflituosa construção de valores que perpassa nossa sociedade. Com a tramitação de projetos relacionados à ortotanásia e eutanásia, compreendemos o sentido das decisões políticas que envolvem as possibilidades de escolhas e liberdade das pessoas, entre o direito à vida e o direito à morte digna. Compreendemos a problemática da legalização da ortotanásia, como forma do poder legislativo se furtar ao debate sobre a eutanásia/suicídio assistido, como alternativa à distanásia e ao sofrimento no processo de morrer.(AU)

En el context de les propostes legislatives brasileres, busquem comprendre els reptes i obstacles en el camí cap a la delimitació de les pràctiques al final de la vida. S'han analitzat 193 documents, des de 1981 fins a 2020, basant-se en la metodologia hermenèutica-dialèctica. S'han evidenciat diferents propostes normatives per a les pràctiques d'eutanàsia i ortotanàsia, en relació als cures pal·liatius. Les associacions dels termes "cures pal·liatius" i "ortotanàsia", en oposició a "eutanàsia/suïcidi assistit", revelen la construcció conflictiva de valors que impregna la nostra societat. Amb la tramitació dels projectes relacionats amb la ortotanàsia i l'eutanàsia, entenem el sentit de les decisions polítiques que implica les possibilitats de tria i llibertat de les persones, entre el dret a la vida i el dret a una mort digna. Comprenguem el problema de la legalització de la ortotanàsia com una forma que el poder legislatiu eviti el debat sobre l'eutanàsia/suïcidi assistit, com a alternativa a la distanàsia i al patiment en el procés de morir.(AU)

En el ámbito de las propuestas legislativas brasileñas, se buscó comprender los desafíos y obstáculos en el camino de la regulación de las prácticas al final de la vida. Se analizaron 193 documentos desde 1981 hasta 2020, utilizando la metodología hermenéutica-dialéctica. Se evidenciaron diferentes propuestas regulatorias relacionadas con la eutanasia y la ortotanasia, en relación con los cuidados paliativos. La asociación de los términos "cuidados paliativos" y "ortotanasia", en contraposición a "eutanasia/suicidio asistido", reveló la conflictiva construcción de valores que atraviesa nuestra sociedad. Con la tramitación de proyectos relacionados con la ortotanasia y la eutanasia, comprendemos el sentido de las decisiones políticas que involucran las posibilidades de elección y libertad de las personas, entre el derecho a la vida y el derecho a una muerte digna. También comprendemos la problemática de la legalización de la ortotanasia como una forma de que el poder legislativo evite el debate sobre la eutanasia/suicidio asistido, como una alternativa a la distanasia y al sufrimiento en el proceso de morir.(AU)

Within the scope of Brazilian legislative proposals, we sought to understand the challenges and obstacles in the delimiting path of end-of-life practices. 193 documents were analyzed, from 1981 to 2020, based on the hermeneutic-dialectical methodology. Different regulatory proposals for the practices of euthanasia and orthothanasia, in relation to palliative care, were evidenced. The associations of the terms “palliative care” and “orthothanasia”, as opposed to “euthanasia/assisted suicide, revealed the conflicting construction of values that permeates our society. With the processing of projects related to orthothanasia and euthanasia, we understand the meaning of political decisions that involve the possibilities of choices and freedom of people, between the right to life and the right to a dignified death. We understand the problem of legalizing orthothanasia as a way for the legislative power to evade the debate on euthanasia/assisted suicide, as an alternative to dysthanasia and suffering in the dying process.(AU)