https://doi.org/10.4081/mem.1994.999
Euthanasia in Holland: legislative answer to unjust practice
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Authors
The paper examines the recent euthanasia Iegislation in Holland, trying to specify the real impact and meaning reporting of the new law in that country and to rectify the wrong interpretation which in Holland euthanasia and the other treatment-limiting medicai decisions would be taken in inadequate circumstances. The authors observed the main types of medicai decision (non-treatment decisions, allevation of pain and symptoms ... ), considering that in Holland from January 1994 euthanasia has been mentioned in thc cause of death form, as a medical act concerning the end of life. The article also examines how the physicians must respect all the safeguards and take into account the best interest of the patient, remembering that these acts remain against the law. The risk to undertake a penal proceeding for the physicians, in fact, is not far if they can't demonstrate to have taken the only right decision in increasing quality care far the dying. The authors conclude anyway that a legai regulation of euthanasia, as in Netherlands, has proved very difficult, even in countries with high standards of medicai care and therefore would be not timely the attuation of a similar legislation in Italy.
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