Decisiones ético-clínicas en el caso de un paciente terminal con cáncer metastásico: el problema de la eutanasia / Ethical and clinical decisions in a terminal patient with metastasic cancer: the euthanasia problem

ABSTRACT

The easiness of medical technology to prolong life in patients with severe cognitive or biological deterioration, the existence of cultural tendencies that underscore the importance of patient's self determination and economical considerations have posed the problem of euthanasia among patients, their families, society and medical teams. A propos of an exemplary patient, the ethical principles that allow the distinction between passive euthanasia and with drawal of life support measures ane analysed. The analysis of active euthanasia, leads to the conclusion that it is not comptible with the ethical principles that classically have inspired medical actions