It has finally been decided which drug will be administered to Mario, the 43 year old from Marche who remained quadriplegic following a road accident. And that, for over 15 months, he has been trying to assert his right to have access to medically assisted suicide in Italy (legal in the presence of 4 conditions indicated by the Constitutional Court in the so-called “Cappato Dj Fabo sentence).
This was made known by the Luca Coscioni association. This is the opinion of the single regional health authority of the Marches, called, after Mario’s warnings and complaints, presented by the lawyers of the same association Luca Coscioni. The correct drug, according to Asur, “is Sodium Thiopentone, which appears suitable for guaranteeing a quick and painless death at a dosage of no less than 3-5 grams for an adult weighing 70 kg. The method of administration is that of self-administration by intravenous infusion “.
“This decision is a relief. After months of constant obstacles and ever greater suffering, I finally feel relieved.” These are the words of “Mario” when he heard from the lawyers Philomena Gallo e Mario Clara that the ASL had finally decided with which drug he could die. A few words, then a long sigh in the bed where he is nailed, with his mother beside him who follows him with love and shares her choice.
The court of Ancona: “The local health authority should check if Antonio has the right to assisted suicide”
by Maria Novella De Luca
In recent weeks Mario, through his legal college, after having received the green light from the Ethics Committee on the existence of all the requisites provided for by the sentence of the Council, had also denounced the same Committee and Asur Marche for the crime of torture, as well as that for the crime of omitting official acts and all other related crimes that could be configured, due to the continuous obstructions and omissions, which manifested themselves in the form of failure to verify the drug and the relative methods of administration. The choice of the drug and the modalities were the missing piece left open after the green light of the regional Ethics Committee.
“It is a historic turning point. As regards the so-called ‘suicide aid’, from today in Italy we have not only precise rules, established by the Constitutional Court in the Cappato Sentence, but also defined medical procedures and practices that include the modalities of self- administration of the drug by the patient “, declared Filomena Gallo, Mario’s co-advocate and national secretary of the Association Luca Coscioni e Marco Cappatotreasurer of the Luca Coscioni Association.