Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy
In 2015, euthanasia accounted for 4.5% of deaths in the Netherlands, of which 93% were performed by a GP. Historically, a conflict of physician’s duties—to alleviate unbearable suffering and at the same time preserve the patient’s life—is central to the justification of euthanasia practice in the Ne...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-01-01
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| Series: | European Journal of General Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2018.1517154 |
| _version_ | 1818518700051922944 |
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| author | Pauline S. C. Kouwenhoven Ghislaine J. M. W. van Thiel Agnes van der Heide Judith A. C. Rietjens Johannes J. M. van Delden |
| author_facet | Pauline S. C. Kouwenhoven Ghislaine J. M. W. van Thiel Agnes van der Heide Judith A. C. Rietjens Johannes J. M. van Delden |
| author_sort | Pauline S. C. Kouwenhoven |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 2015, euthanasia accounted for 4.5% of deaths in the Netherlands, of which 93% were performed by a GP. Historically, a conflict of physician’s duties—to alleviate unbearable suffering and at the same time preserve the patient’s life—is central to the justification of euthanasia practice in the Netherlands. However, there seems to be a shift towards a greater emphasis on the patient’s autonomous wish as the primary basis for euthanasia. This shift has consequences for the role and interpretation of the physician’s duties in end-of-life care. This paper aims to describe these developments in euthanasia practice and end-of-life decision-making. We describe important relevant developments and look into the role and the meaning of two dimensions of the concept of ‘patient autonomy’ regarding end-of-life decisions, in particular, the euthanasia request. We claim that the concept of autonomy ‘as a right,’ which can be distinguished from autonomy ‘as an ideal,’ narrows the physician’s window of opportunity to offer end-of-life care other than euthanasia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:13:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-93d1e676e1b94fabb8597e1ccbd94c29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1381-4788 1751-1402 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:13:53Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of General Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-93d1e676e1b94fabb8597e1ccbd94c292022-12-22T01:25:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of General Practice1381-47881751-14022019-01-01251444810.1080/13814788.2018.15171541517154Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomyPauline S. C. Kouwenhoven0Ghislaine J. M. W. van Thiel1Agnes van der Heide2Judith A. C. Rietjens3Johannes J. M. van Delden4University Medical Centre UtrechtUniversity Medical Centre UtrechtErasmus Medical CentreErasmus Medical CentreUniversity Medical Centre UtrechtIn 2015, euthanasia accounted for 4.5% of deaths in the Netherlands, of which 93% were performed by a GP. Historically, a conflict of physician’s duties—to alleviate unbearable suffering and at the same time preserve the patient’s life—is central to the justification of euthanasia practice in the Netherlands. However, there seems to be a shift towards a greater emphasis on the patient’s autonomous wish as the primary basis for euthanasia. This shift has consequences for the role and interpretation of the physician’s duties in end-of-life care. This paper aims to describe these developments in euthanasia practice and end-of-life decision-making. We describe important relevant developments and look into the role and the meaning of two dimensions of the concept of ‘patient autonomy’ regarding end-of-life decisions, in particular, the euthanasia request. We claim that the concept of autonomy ‘as a right,’ which can be distinguished from autonomy ‘as an ideal,’ narrows the physician’s window of opportunity to offer end-of-life care other than euthanasia.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2018.1517154Euthanasiapalliative and terminal carehealth ethicsgeneral practice/family medicine |
| spellingShingle | Pauline S. C. Kouwenhoven Ghislaine J. M. W. van Thiel Agnes van der Heide Judith A. C. Rietjens Johannes J. M. van Delden Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy European Journal of General Practice Euthanasia palliative and terminal care health ethics general practice/family medicine |
| title | Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy |
| title_full | Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy |
| title_fullStr | Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy |
| title_short | Developments in euthanasia practice in the Netherlands: Balancing professional responsibility and the patient’s autonomy |
| title_sort | developments in euthanasia practice in the netherlands balancing professional responsibility and the patient s autonomy |
| topic | Euthanasia palliative and terminal care health ethics general practice/family medicine |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2018.1517154 |
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