BMJ 2003;326:271-273 ( 1 February )

Education and debate

Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland: allowing a role for non-physicians

Samia A Hurst, postdoctoral fellow ^a, Alex Mauron, professor ^b. 

^a Department of Clinical Bioethics, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1156, USA, ^b Unité de Recherche et d'Enseignement en Bioéthique, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland

Correspondence to: S A Hurst shurst@cc.nih.gov

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Switzerland has an unusual position on assisted suicide: it is legally condoned and can be performed by non-physicians. Euthanasia is illegal, but there is a debate about decriminalisation that also discusses participation by non-physicians

The involvement of a physician is usually considered a necessary safeguard in assisted suicide and euthanasia. Legislation in Holland, Belgium, and the US state of Oregon all require it, as did the legalisation of euthanasia in Australia's Northern Territories.^1-4 Physicians are trusted not to misuse these practices; along with pharmacists they are in control of prescription drugs. Physicians are believed to know how to ensure a painless death, and they are in a position to offer palliative care knowledgeably.

Switzerland seems to be the only country in which the law limits the circumstances in which assisted suicide is a crime, thereby decriminalising it in other cases, without requiring the involvement of a physician. Consequently, non-physicians have . . . [Full text of this article]

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• Monteverde, S. (2009). The Importance of Time in Ethical Decision Making. Nurs Ethics 16: 613-624 [Abstract]  
• Pereira, J, Laurent, P, Cantin, B, Petremand, D, Currat, T (2008). The response of a Swiss university hospital's palliative care consult team to assisted suicide within the institution. Palliat Med 22: 659-667 [Abstract]  
• Ziegler, S. J, Bosshard, G. (2007). Role of non-governmental organisations in physician assisted suicide. BMJ 334: 295-298 [Full text]  
• Rietjens, J. A., van der Heide, A., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D, van der Maas, P. J, van der Wal, G. (2006). Preferences of the Dutch general public for a good death and associations with attitudes towards end-of-life decision-making. Palliat Med 20: 685-692 [Abstract]  
• Tierney, T. F. (2006). Suicidal thoughts: Hobbes, Foucault and the right to die. Philosophy Social Criticism 32: 601-638 [Abstract]  
• Hurst, S. A. (2006). "Agreed Boundaries": Are We Asking the Right Question?. Arch Intern Med 166: 126-127 [Full text]  
• Bury, B. (2003). Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland: Doctors should keep out of it. BMJ 327: 52-52 [Full text]  
• Bosshard, G. (2003). Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland: Doctors occupy special position. BMJ 327: 51-52 [Full text]  
• Gardner, G. (2003). Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland: "Comfort care" needs robust moral framework. BMJ 327: 52-52 [Full text]  
• Curtis, M. J (2003). Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland: Distinction needs to be made between choice and obligation. BMJ 327: 52-52 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

keep doctors out of it

Bob Bury
bmj.com, 31 Jan 2003 [Full text]

Outlaw medical killing

John H Scotson
bmj.com, 1 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assisted suicide or absolute control ?

Shahid A Khan
bmj.com, 3 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assisted suicide and euthanasia in Switzerland

L A M Evans
bmj.com, 3 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assist or control re Assisted suicide

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bmj.com, 4 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assisted Suicide: Choice or Obligation?

Mary J. Curtis
bmj.com, 5 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assisted suicide - a medical task?

Georg Bosshard
bmj.com, 11 Feb 2003 [Full text]

'Comfort Care'

Gregory Gardner
bmj.com, 25 Feb 2003 [Full text]

Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Switzerland: Response to Comments

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bmj.com, 1 Mar 2003 [Full text]

On the role of doctors in assisted suicide & euthanasia: is it the same role in execution?

A.K Al-Sheikhli , MRCPsych DPM
bmj.com, 7 Jul 2003 [Full text]

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