Concerning the Basic Idea that the Wish to End Suffering Legitimates Physician Aid in Dying for Psychiatric Patients

by Suzanne van de Vathorst In 2018, 6126 cases of physician aid in dying (PAD) (4.4% of all deaths) were reported in the Netherlands. Of these 6126 cases, 67 involved patients with a psychiatric disease. Psychiatrists reported 34 of these, general practitioners (part of the Netherlands’ extensive system of family physicians) reported 20. The Netherlands has universal health care insurance, and equitable access to good quality health care, including psychiatric care. The Dutch generally trust their doctors and assume they are doing their job with our best interest in mind.…
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Editorial-AJOB End of Life Care Featured Posts Justice Psychiatric Ethics PAD Source Type: blogs