Citation

Höffe O. Theologische Quartalschrift 2015; 195(3): 203-214.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015)

DOI

10.14623/thq.2015.3.203-214

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The question of the legitimacy of physician assisted suicide involves balancing the competing interests associated with the principle of autonomy and the principle of care. According to Hippocrates' first rule, salus aegroti suprema lex, physicians as helpers of the ill care for terminally ill patients and do not assist them with suicide. Therefore, a development of the palliative care system is of absolute priority. A society respecting the values of responsibility and solidarity should not participate in facilitating suicide, but in preventing it. The moral assessment of suicide has been a controversial issue over the centuries. Both secular and Christian authors have approved as well as disapproved of suicide. From a legal perspective, suicide is not a crime, so that assisting with suicide is not a crime either. Since assisting with suicide is not part of medical practice, one cannot deduce that doctors have a duty to assist with suicide; such assistance is at most permissible. © 2015 Schwabenverlag AG. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; Physician-assisted suicide; Autonomy; Care; Self-determination