Lukas Radbruch1, Carlo Leget2, Patrick Bahr3, Christof Müller-Busch4, John Ellershaw5, Franco de Conno6, Paul Vanden Berghe7. 1. Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany Centre of Palliative Care, Malteser Hospital Seliger Gerhard Bonn/ Rhein-Sieg, Bonn, Germany Lukas.radbruch@malteser.org. 2. University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany. 4. Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhöhe, Berlin, Germany Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany. 5. Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool (MCPCIL), University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. 6. European Association for Palliative Care, Milan, Italy. 7. Federation Palliative Care Flanders, Vilvoorde, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recognition of the ongoing discussion on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, the Board of Directors of the European Association for Palliative Care commissioned this white paper from the palliative care perspective. AIM: This white paper aims to provide an ethical framework for palliative care professionals on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. It also aims to provide an overview on the available evidence as well as a discourse of ethical principles related to these issues. DESIGN: Starting from a 2003 European Association for Palliative Care position paper, 21 statements were drafted and submitted to a five-round Delphi process PARTICIPANTS: A panel with 17 experts commented on the paper in round 1. Board members of national palliative care or hospice associations that are collective members of European Association for Palliative Care were invited to an online survey in rounds 2 and 3. The expert panel and the European Association for Palliative Care board members participated in rounds 4 and 5. This final version was adopted as an official position paper of the European Association for Palliative Care in April 2015. RESULTS: Main topics of the white paper are concepts and definitions of palliative care, its values and philosophy, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, key issues on the patient and the organizational level. The consensus process confirmed the 2003 European Association for Palliative Care white paper and its position on the relationship between palliative care and euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. CONCLUSION: The European Association for Palliative Care feels that it is important to contribute to informed public debates on these issues. Complete consensus seems to be unachievable due to incompatible normative frameworks that clash.
BACKGROUND: In recognition of the ongoing discussion on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, the Board of Directors of the European Association for Palliative Care commissioned this white paper from the palliative care perspective. AIM: This white paper aims to provide an ethical framework for palliative care professionals on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. It also aims to provide an overview on the available evidence as well as a discourse of ethical principles related to these issues. DESIGN: Starting from a 2003 European Association for Palliative Care position paper, 21 statements were drafted and submitted to a five-round Delphi process PARTICIPANTS: A panel with 17 experts commented on the paper in round 1. Board members of national palliative care or hospice associations that are collective members of European Association for Palliative Care were invited to an online survey in rounds 2 and 3. The expert panel and the European Association for Palliative Care board members participated in rounds 4 and 5. This final version was adopted as an official position paper of the European Association for Palliative Care in April 2015. RESULTS: Main topics of the white paper are concepts and definitions of palliative care, its values and philosophy, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, key issues on the patient and the organizational level. The consensus process confirmed the 2003 European Association for Palliative Care white paper and its position on the relationship between palliative care and euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. CONCLUSION: The European Association for Palliative Care feels that it is important to contribute to informed public debates on these issues. Complete consensus seems to be unachievable due to incompatible normative frameworks that clash.
Authors: Dietmar Weixler; Sophie Roider-Schur; Rudolf Likar; Claudia Bozzaro; Thomas Daniczek; Angelika Feichtner; Christoph Gabl; Bernhard Hammerl-Ferrari; Maria Kletecka-Pulker; Ulrich H J Körtner; Hilde Kössler; Johannes G Meran; Aurelia Miksovsky; Bettina Pusswald; Thomas Wienerroither; Herbert Watzke Journal: Wien Med Wochenschr Date: 2016-12-06
Authors: Andrea Jutta Loizeau; Simon M Cohen; Susan L Mitchell; Nathan Theill; Stefanie Eicher; Mike Martin; Florian Riese Journal: Neurodegener Dis Date: 2019-04-23 Impact factor: 2.977