11.05.2024 – 12:47
Federal Medical Association
Mainz (ots)
The 128th German Doctors’ Day in Mainz called on the federal government to present a comprehensive suicide prevention law, as the German Bundestag had already called for almost unanimously across all party groups last year. The suicide prevention strategy presented by the Federal Minister of Health is not a replacement for such a law. Although it contains the right approaches, it leaves the question of financing open. In addition, no binding implementation of the strategy is possible without a legal basis.
“To ensure that every person who seeks help in a suicidal crisis also finds help, the suicide prevention strategy now presented is not sufficient. Only through legal anchoring will suicide prevention receive the necessary security and durability,” the MPs made clear. When developing the law, the German Medical Association and suicide prevention specialists should be involved much more closely than was the case when the Federal Ministry of Health developed the strategy now presented.
In addition, a law on suicide prevention is crucial for legally regulating assisted suicide in Germany. “A suicide prevention law must therefore be passed before or at least at the same time as a legal regulation on assisted suicide.”
Background: In Germany, on average, more than 25 people die by suicide every day. In 2022, the number of suicides exceeded 10,000 (10,119) for the first time in eight years. This corresponds to a rate of 12.1 per 100,000 inhabitants and an increase of 9.8 percent compared to the previous year. This means that more people die from suicide than from traffic accidents, murder, AIDS/HIV and illegal drugs combined. The 124th German Doctors’ Day in 2021 had already called for suicide prevention to be focused on, expanded and consolidated in Germany.
Follow us via our social media channels: Youtube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) und Threads.
Press contact:
Federal Medical Association
Politics and Communications Department
Herbert-Lewin-Platz 1
10623 Berlin
Fon +49 30 400 456 – 700
Fax +49 30 400 456 – 707
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.baek.de
Original content from: German Medical Association, transmitted by news aktuell