Ethicist warned against normalization of assisted suicide

At an event in Berlin, Viennese bioethicist Susanne Kummer warned that assisted suicide could increasingly be viewed as a normal option at the end of life in Europe. Instead, she advocated for placing hospice and palliative care more at the center and specifically expanding their structural and financial framework conditions. The goal must be to offer seriously ill and dying people alternatives to an expansion of suicide assistance through comprehensive care, support, and pain therapy. This was reported by Kathpress.

According to the ethicist's assessment, societal attitudes toward the end of life have noticeably shifted. A large portion of the population in the European Union today lives in states where assisted suicide is legally possible. Studies suggest that corresponding wishes are often not primarily attributable to physical pain, but to fears of losing independence, dignity, or of needing care. Elderly people and women are considered particularly vulnerable in this regard. The possibility of suicide assistance could also contribute to breaking down internal inhibitions and being perceived as a seemingly uncomplicated solution.

Kummer made clear that end-of-life decisions are not only personal matters, but are also influenced by social, cultural, and economic factors. As a counter-model, she highlighted a culture of care that relies on human closeness, reliable support, and solidary community. Representatives of the hospice movement also expressed concern that suicide assistance could increasingly be perceived as a natural option, and advocated for stronger anchoring of suicide prevention as well as further expansion of hospice and support services.

Previously, UOJ reported that a large demonstration against planned legalization of euthanasia took place in Paris.

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