Contemporary European Perspectives On The Ethics Of End Of Life Care

This book examines the ethics of end of life care, focusing on the kinds of decisions that are commonly made in clinical practice. Specific attention is paid to the intensification of treatment for terminal symptoms, particularly pain relief, and the withdrawal and withholding of care, particularly life-saving or life-prolonging medical care. The book is structured into three sections. The first section contains essays examining end of life care from the perspective of moral theory and theology. The second sets out various conceptual terms and distinctions relevant to decision-making at the end of life. The third section contains chapters that focus on substantive ethical issues. This format not only provides for a comprehensive analysis of the ethical issues that arise in the context of end of life care but allows readers to effectively trace the philosophical, theological and conceptual underpinnings that inform their specific interests. This work will be of interest to scholars working in the area as well as clinicians, specialists and healthcare professionals who encounter these issues in the course of their practice.

This volume provides a picture of palliative care ethics in the European context. It should interest those involved in the delivery and management of palliative care services, as well as students and researchers.

This book presents a collection of exclusively selected manuscripts on current ethical controversies related to professional practices from an interprofessional perspective. Insights are provided into the diversity of practices and viewpoints from different countries are merged in a unique way. The book contributes to the debate on social and legal issues regarding end-of-life practices such as organ donation, medically assisted dying and advance care planning. In addition, joint international author groups contributed exclusive chapters about European comparisons on end-of-life topics. The focus on country- and culture-specific aspects broadens the view on key issues and makes the book attractive for an international readership. The variety of approaches and methods used informs and inspires the development of new research and best-practice projects.

In most Council of Europe member states, active euthanasia or assisting a suicide are illegal. The issue is the subject of a lively debate, both in professional circles and amongst the general public, and two countries, the Netherlands and Belgium, have decided to change their laws to enable doctors to bring a person's life to an end if certain conditions are fulfilled. This publication takes a detailed look at the practical and legal situation in eight European countries and the United States, as well as taking stock of the discussions taking place throughout Europe on various aspects of the end of life. The ethical and human aspects of the euthanasia debate are discussed in another publication (ISBN 9287150702).

This inter-disciplinary volume gathers scholars from around the world to explore clinical, cultural and ethical perspectives on end-of-life care, not only for the dying but also for those who attend the dying as caregivers.

End-of-life care practices and attitudes in Europe are highly diverse, which is unsurprising given the variety of cultural and religious patterns across this region. The most marked differences are in the legal and ethical stances towards assisted dying, although there are also variations in limitation of life-sustaining treatment and the authority of advance directives to decline such treatment. Palliative care has made a rapid and impressive development in many European countries over the last decade, and alleviating symptoms at the end of life is permitted, even if the drugs used might (in the rare case) not only relieve suffering but also shorten life. Fueled by the politically led process of European harmonization, future policies and laws on end-of-life care might converge. However, at the base of many ethical conflicts there remain deeply rooted differences about promoting the sanctity of life, eradicating suffering, and respecting patients’ autonomous wishes.

This book, edited by a team of leading European bioethicists, is in all respects an innovative publication. As part of the core materials project of the European Ethics Network, this book collects European perspectives on health care ethics reflecting both the rich philosophical tradition and the broad interdisciplinary network in the field of European health care ethics. In the first part of the book on the physician-patient relationship, the authors present different views on the integration of patient autonomy in the relational structure of the medical profession. Here, the focus is on the reception of patient autonomy in the European context and on European alternatives for the radical understanding of patient autonomy. In the second part of this book, the contributions deal with the ethical problems of clinical research with patients and with the ethical values involved in human experimentation. In the third part of the book, the just organisation of the health care system and the consequent resource allocation are critically examined. With their common European background, the authors want to enrich and encourage the ongoing discussion on the physician-patient relationship, human experimentation and justice in health care from various perspectives and different points of departure. Therefore, this volume is suitable for the interested reader as well as for educational purposes.

This book gives an overview of the most salient themes in present-day bioethics. The book focuses on perspectives typical for the European context. This highlights not only particular bioethical themes such as social justice, choices in health care, and health policy (e.g., in post-communist countries), it also emphasizes specific approaches in ethical theory, in relation to Continental philosophies such as phenomenology and hermeneutics.