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: Verhofstadt, Monica
Marijnissen, Radboud
Creemers, Daan
Rasing, Sanne
Schweren, Lizanne
Sterckx, Sigrid
Titeca, Koen
van Veen, Sisco
Pronk, Rosalie
Dokumenttyp: Artikel
Erscheinungsdatum: 2024
Reihe/Periodikum: Frontiers in Psychiatry ; volume 15 ; ISSN 1664-0640
Verlag/Hrsg.: Frontiers Media SA
Sprache: unknown
Permalink: https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-29179923
Datenquelle: BASE; Originalkatalog
Powered By: BASE
Link(s) : http://dx.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.