Terminally ill people assistance to Die, or help for the Dying need? Germany needs an honest debate on the topic of euthanasia. And a clear message from Karlsruhe, Germany, says Astrid Prange de Oliveira.
Finally! Germany, a debate on euthanasia. And that is a good thing. Because Dying is a part of life. And also the care of terminally ill people.
What is it about? It is the desire of seriously ill patients to die by his own Hand – after a doctor has made the drug available. It comes to the question of whether every human being has the right to determine its own end-of-life and to seek professional “help”. Mind you: It’s not about “active euthanasia”, when Doctors intervene, and at the discretion of the Sick die.
Since 2015, the “business-like promotion of suicide,” according to the penal code section 217 subject to punishment. The law aims, inter alia, the “business-like” working of euthanasia unite to stop it.
But what is the meaning of “business”? The legal Definition of the term includes not only strive for profit, but also “repeated help”. People who repeatedly assisted suicide, and thus commit a criminal offence. This is enshrined in the basic law of personality law?
DW-editor Astrid Prange de Oliveira
Death is taboo
Because the formulation of the law raises, in practice, many questions asked several plaintiffs – including family members of patients, palliative care doctors and euthanasia advocates, the Federal constitutional court for clarification. This clarification is overdue. After all, who takes care of terminally ill people, in need of restraint and legal certainty.
A doctor who stops at the request of his patients commits a Crime? Or a taxi driver, willing to regularly Die to a suicide club in Switzerland departs? Or a nurse that meets in a hospice, the desire of a patient and an extra dose of morphine.
The debate shows that Germany does have a hard time with the Dying. It is a paradox that The older the population, so it seems, the more difficult the debate on the death. Actually, exactly the opposite should be the case. But no: At the end of life a mass of complicated legal safeguards, a quiet farewell.
This state of Affairs is unworthy and pathetic. He shows the urgency of the debate and how essential a verdict from Karlsruhe, Germany. Because at the deathbed of family members and doctors, nurses and managers have truly other things to Worry about, than to have to deal with legal issues around pests.
Help instead of hypocrisy
Germany needs a clear set of rules for euthanasia and no specialist lawyers for death law. Germany is in need of medical care and human care for the terminally Ill, and no philosophical debates of self-appointed death assistants or life guards. Germany needs is less hypocrisy and more support for suffering people at the end of life.
Death can be cruel. The fear of Dying a nobody, but the fear of Dying alone. The hospice movement has made a crucial contribution to people in the most difficult hours of your life support and pain relief.
Even if you can’t praise the work of hospices, palliative physicians and nurses for the terminally ill high enough – there are people who do not want to go this way. Karlsruhe now has to decide whether the state can deny them the euthanasia. However, When sick people are afraid to fall a burden to their relatives, this is a serious social Problem, is not solve completely safe with euthanasia.
I confess: I sincerely hope that I will never come to the thoughts of death to want to help. Life is given to me of God and untouchable. But this individual attitude I want to force that on anyone. Important not the belief, but humanity is at the end of life. Forced to live don’t help on death – bed-also, if he is in the law.