Euthanasia for "everybody" in Germany - possible preconditions

[NextSummer]

The highest court in Germany has decided in 2020 that Euthanasia for EVERYBODY - regardless of health status- is a basic right. Now politicians have to deliver a system for euthanasia for everybody. They will soon discuss, which system and which conditions to implement. Of course they have to follow the law but still want to make it as hard as possible.

The following draft is from the head of the national "palliative care agency", which gives you an impression, what might be the case soon in Germany:

Group 1: people with incurable diseases
- 2x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- 30 days waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

Group 2: people without incurable diseases
- 3x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- social law consultation
- 1 year waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

The fact that an ethic committee decides about your life & death and not you is despicable, but this might be against the decision of the highest court, so people might go to court again and abolish this veto-right. I don't know if foreigners can apply but I think so.

After seeing the conditions, would you apply?

 

[Futile]

It's surely a step in the right direction, but it's not enough. Everyone should be the only one to decide for his own life.

In any case I doubt they'll let foreigners, other countries will surely not be happy

 

[Spitfire]

The highest court in Germany has decided in 2020 that Euthanasia for EVERYBODY - regardless of health status- is a basic right. Now politicians have to deliver a system for euthanasia for everybody. They will soon discuss, which system and which conditions to implement. Of course they have to follow the law but still want to make it as hard as possible.

The following draft is from the head of the national "palliative care agency", which gives you an impression, what might be the case soon in Germany:

Group 1: people with incurable diseases
- 2x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- 30 days waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

Group 2: people without incurable diseases
- 3x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- social law consultation
- 1 year waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

The fact that an ethic committee decides about your life & death and not you is despicable, but this might be against the decision of the highest court, so people might go to court again and abolish this veto-right. I don't know if foreigners can apply but I think so.

Thanks for sharing. I believe (hope) soon enough it will become much more widely acceptable.

 

[http-410]

Do you have a link to the draft? I couldn't find anything unfortunately.

 

[NextSummer]

Sure: https://tinyurl.com/y5zpsw3l If you are German, you should follow this website, they are pro-choice and inform a lot about the right-to-die. They are humanists against the power of the church in politics.

 

[Cashewmilk]

This is actually one of my dreams. 1 year waiting period is generous, I love it. Amazing, this is an amazing step in the right direction to fight climate change as well, and give humans the dignity they deserve. It's absolutely NOT fair that we are forced and stuck and imprisoned in this world completely against our will and expected to do everything we're supposed to just to survive, it's barbaric and inhumane to not have an opt out option. It's nice to see but I doubt humanity is ready for this, it will probably go into effect and then get removed due to religious protesters. My opinion is extremely unpopular and I feel like I live in a dark age of humanity.

If I lived in Germany and had access to this, I don't think I would get veto'd, this would be my best option for sure, especially considering my history and my current state.

 

[EmbraceOfTheVoid]

It looks like a lot of red tape and based roughly on the wording it doesnt seem like it's for people with mental issues. I'd still choose suicide every day of the week over this form of euthanasia because it seems as though it isn't your choice at all; it's decided by other people and various technicalities/hurdles. I shouldn't need consultation and other people's permission to end my life in a peaceful way.

 

[Zhontafly]

Thanks for posting this @NextSummer

 

[AvaAdore]

The highest court in Germany has decided in 2020 that Euthanasia for EVERYBODY - regardless of health status- is a basic right. Now politicians have to deliver a system for euthanasia for everybody. They will soon discuss, which system and which conditions to implement. Of course they have to follow the law but still want to make it as hard as possible.

The following draft is from the head of the national "palliative care agency", which gives you an impression, what might be the case soon in Germany:

Group 1: people with incurable diseases
- 2x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- 30 days waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

Group 2: people without incurable diseases
- 3x checked by doctors
- palliative care consultation
- social law consultation
- 1 year waiting period
- an ethic committee can veto

The fact that an ethic committee decides about your life & death and not you is despicable, but this might be against the decision of the highest court, so people might go to court again and abolish this veto-right. I don't know if foreigners can apply but I think so.

After seeing the conditions, would you apply?

Yes, do you know if there's an application fee?

 

[NextSummer]

Again, the court decision is as follows:

EVERYBODY can apply
Doctors can not be forced to give consent to your euthanasia

So effectively this gives the doctors the right to decide about your euthanasia. 70% of doctors are against euthanasia. But you need to find the 2-3 doctors who agree and write a report for you.

It's because the court and the judges don't know about suicide. They think that doctors have to be involved for a peaceful death. They don't know one doesn't need doctors...

So people with mental illness can apply, but you have to prove that you have a clear mind and find doctors who agree to your euthanasia.

@AvaAdore I don't know if there is a fee, it's only a draft yet.

 

[Amumu]

It's going to be helpful for 2.5% of suicidal people, which is a step forward, though.

 

[http-410]

Tbh, I have no hope that the option to die by euthanasia for people with mental illnesses (or none at all) will be feasible in reality.

First of all, you have to find the doctors who will support (in the "worst" case) a young (<50), physically healthy person to die. The demand on the few doctors who are committed to this will probably be huge if the draft is ever implemented. I think people who are seriously physically ill and the elderly (with or without disease) will probably benefit most from assisted suicide. Regarding the other consultations I wonder how this is going to work when the healthcare system is already understaffed. One has to wait months or years for doctor's appointments.

In my opinion, there are still too many legal and ethical inconsistencies in how to "allow" the mentally ill or people without illness to die. Politics in Germany is biased by Christian conservatism, the Minister of Health opposes euthanasia, and I doubt I will be alive until the draft is implemented. This thing will drag on forever.

 

[tra]

I have to sadly agree with http-410. While it is a progress, it is mostly a paper tiger. The Grundgesetz might imply a right to die, but the Christian conservative party is trying to ignore that and will do anything to make euthanasia not possible. A big problem that was not mentioned yet is that doctors are not able to get N for assisted suicide and it is completely unclear when this issue will be solved.

I am sad that the right to die in dignity is so controversial and shunned, even for the terminally ill. We have to see our loved ones whose days we know are numbered slowly fade away every day, being a shadow of themselves; waiting to die. At the funeral we mourn but accept that their death ultimately was a relief for them, and for us.

 

[NextSummer]

I do think euthanasia will be possible - but for the few that society deems "legitimate", as you said, elderly people and physically ill people. The court decision is clear whether they like it or not. That a ethic committee decides upon your case might be against the law and I expect it to be challenged - if they implement it. I agree though that only a minority of people will benefit.