• Dipl.-Päd. Ulrike Henckel 

12.12.2006 

Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, 12.12.2006 – The question of assisted suicide and the different legal regulations in the European context have lead to many a controversial discussion in recent years. The most explosive aspect, physician-assisted suicide, has been the topic of a meeting of experts from the fields of ethics, medicine, and law hosted by the Akademie at the beginning of the month. 
Dr. med. Felix Thiele talked about the possibilities of physician-assisted suicide in the context of mental illnesses, especially chronic depression. Without taking a preliminary stance in this critical question, he first dealt with a problem of delimitation: Up until when can a person’s decision still be considered autonomous? This question is inseparable from the understanding of basic notions like patient autonomy and illness. His final thesis was: Depression does not necessarily denote a morally relevant loss of autonomy. Professor Dr. Dieter Birnbacher, who holds a Chair of  Philosophy at the University of Düsseldorf, discussed ethical problems of physician-assisted suicide against the backdrop of medical ethics. He critically examined the almost unanimous objection, prevalent in Germany, to physicians’ assistance with life-shortening measures. 
Professor Dr. phil. Dr. iur. Eric Hilgendorf, professor of penal law at the Universität Würzburg, explained the complex and partly contradictory legal situation in Germany. The insecurity resulting from this situation greatly impacts individual moral evaluations in controversial cases of jurisdiction. He called for action such as the introduction of an assisted dying law. 
Coroner Professor Dr. med Christian Rittner reported on two cases from his many years of professional experience, in which close family assisted profoundly disabled patients in voluntary suicide and called for toleration of physician-assisted suicide in terminal cases.
It was also suggested to integrate the results of these discussions into academic teaching. Therefore, it was agreed that the results of the meeting should be used not only for publication, but also as study material for the Master’s Degree in Medical Ethics, which has been offered by the Distance University Hagen in co-operation with the Europäische Akademie and the Universität Mainz since Spring 2005 

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