Sedation or euthanasia, that’s what the law says – breaking latest news

First of all, let’s clear the table of any ideological thesis. It doesn’t help. And there is no need. Here we talk about suffering. True, not abstract. Professor Stefano Canestrari, full professor of Criminal Law at the University of Bologna and member of the National Committee for Bioethics, has a secular approach (in the etymological sense) on the subject of the end of life. A theme that affects the ‘living flesh’ of each of us. Professor, can you explain the difference between medically assisted suicide and continuous deep palliative sedation? “In medically assisted suicide, the medical staff makes the lethal drug available and it is necessary that the last action be taken by the patient independently. Therefore, death is a consequence of the self-administration of a lethal product. Instead, deep palliative sedation Continuous is a health treatment that initiates the sick person to a natural death and has the effect of total cancellation of consciousness and a “pain-free sleep” until the moment of death. Even the patient who enters an end-of-life process following refusal or renunciation of health treatments (including life-saving) has the right to benefit, in case of refractory suffering in the imminence of death, from deep and continuous sedation. While, therefore, through medically assisted suicide the patient “asks and obtains “An” immediate “death, through the use of deep and continuous palliative sedation, a path of accompaniment is started towards the end of life, which does not anticipate the moment of death “. How is continuous deep sedation regulated? “Continuous deep palliative sedation is governed by art. 2, paragraph 2, of law no. 219/2017, which specifies when it is legitimate to adopt a deep and continuous sedation protocol. The law establishes when the doctor can resort to palliative sedation profound continues in association with pain therapy. This path can be started with the consent of the patient …