Citation

Zimmermann M, Zimmermann R. Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Ethik 2019; 65(3): 299-313.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019)

DOI

10.14623/zfme.2019.3.299-313

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the context of the debate about § 217 StGB to the topic assisted suicide it was also discussed whether medical care is legally and ethically possible with the Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED). An answer to these questions is essentially related to the judgment as to whether or not VSED is considered an act of suicide. The article analyses the debate with regard to the use of terms, the foundation in action-theory and phenomenological experiences. The authors criticize the partially interest guided narrowing of the discourse around VSED to an action of self-determined dying or passive suicide. With different framework theories, however, VSED can be regarded as a form of consenting dying with which the expected dying in the foreseeable future is prematurely initiated. © Zeitschrift für medizinische Ethik, Basel.All rights reserved.

Language: de

Keywords

VSED; (assisted) suicide; actions ending life; ethics of relinquishing; medical aid in dying; omission; voluntary refusal of food and fluids (FRFF)