Assisted dying and the slippery slope argument : no empirical evidence

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DELIENS, Luc

While the social and political debate around assisted dying remains fierce and unremitting, legalization of assisted dying has expanded significantly in Europe, North America, and Australia during the past 20 years. Assisted dying (euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide) practices are now legal in more than 30 jurisdictions, increasing the number of people with access to assisted dying to more than 280 million.1 Belgium passed a law on euthanasia on May 28, 2002, and the law became effective as of September 23, 2002. Belgium’s Law of Euthanasia defines euthanasia as “the intentional termination of a person’s life by a doctor at that person’s explicit request.”2 The law further specifies that the request by the patient should be voluntary, well-considered, and repeated and not the result of any external pressure. Furthermore, a request can only be legally granted by the physician when the patient is in a medically futile condition resulting from a serious and incurable condition caused by illness or accident, and the patient experiences constant and unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be alleviated. The physician willing to explore such a request is required to ascertain that all these due care requirements are met. The attending physician needs to consult at least 1 other independent colleague who also needs to assess the legal requirements. [Début du commentaire]

http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.6849

Voir la revue «JAMA network open, 8»

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