Exploring the interplay of clinical, ethical and societal dynamics: two decades of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) on psychiatric grounds in the Netherlands and Belgium

This paper explores recently emerging challenges in Medical Assistance in Dying on Psychiatric Grounds (MAID-PG), focusing on ethical, clinical, and societal perspectives. Two themes are explored. First, the growing number of young MAID-PG requestors and the public platform given to MAID-PG requests. Ethically, media portrayal, particularly of young patients’ testimonials, requires scrutiny for oversimplification, acknowledging the potential for a Werther effect alongside the absence of a Papageno effect. This highlights the need for better communication policies for media purposes. Second, ca... Mehr ...

Verfasser: Monica Verhofstadt
Radboud Marijnissen
Daan Creemers
Sanne Rasing
Lizanne Schweren
Sigrid Sterckx
Koen Titeca
Sisco van Veen
Rosalie Pronk
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2024
Reihe/Periodikum: Frontiers in Psychiatry, Vol 15 (2024)
Verlag/Hrsg.: Frontiers Media S.A.
Schlagwörter: euthanasia / psychiatry / assisted suicide / mental illness / end-of-life care / Medical Aid in Dying / RC435-571
Sprache: Englisch
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-28971962
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1463813

This paper explores recently emerging challenges in Medical Assistance in Dying on Psychiatric Grounds (MAID-PG), focusing on ethical, clinical, and societal perspectives. Two themes are explored. First, the growing number of young MAID-PG requestors and the public platform given to MAID-PG requests. Ethically, media portrayal, particularly of young patients’ testimonials, requires scrutiny for oversimplification, acknowledging the potential for a Werther effect alongside the absence of a Papageno effect. This highlights the need for better communication policies for media purposes. Second, cautionary considerations regarding psychiatric care adequacy are addressed. In MAID-PG this includes reasons underlying psychiatrist reluctance to engage in MAID-PG trajectories, leading to growing waiting lists at end-of-life-care centers. Addressing current shortages in psychiatric care adequacy is crucial, necessitating less narrow focus on short-term care trajectories and recovery beside transdiagnostic treatment approaches, expanded palliative care strategies, and integrated MAID-PG care.