Bioethical considerations on models for end-of-life care

Cad Saude Publica. 2021 Sep 22;37(9):e00264320. doi: 10.1590/0102-311X00264320. eCollection 2021.ABSTRACTThe article discusses contemporary societies' three institutionalized fields in end-of-life care and their respective models of death: euthanasia/assisted suicide; medical futility; and kalothanasia, the basis for the modern hospice movement. The article also analyzes how these models impact patients' lives and the conceptual weakness of some traditionally used banners such as that of human dignity. It also comments on orthothanasia, a widely used concept in the Brazilian bioethical literature, as well as rational suicide in the elderly. Questions are posed for the bioethical debate on the need to rethink some postulates, especially pertaining to euthanasia. Finally, the article presents and analyzes the ethical and philosophical basis for kalothanasia and its implications for the organization of good practices in end-of-life care.PMID:34586171 | DOI:10.1590/0102-311X00264320
Source: Cadernos de Saude Publica - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research