RESUMO
En los últimos años ha comenzado a aparecer en la literatura médica y bioética la dicción inglesa "voluntary stopping of eating and drinking". Se trata de una práctica que se propone con la "intención primaria" de anticipar la muerte de una persona que no quiere seguir viviendo, como alternativa a la eutanasia y al suicidio asistido. Algunos autores la presentan como una opción válida tanto desde el punto de vista ético como legal, sosteniendo que no se trata de un suicidio sino de una "muerte natural", en la línea de la limitación de tratamientos. En este artículo presentamos una síntesis de la bibliografía reciente, y una valoración crítica que llega a la conclusión que este tipo de acción difícilmente puede considerarse algo distinto a una modalidad de suicidio. Como consecuencia, el personal sanitario debería considerarla extraña al ethos médico y a la buena praxis clínica
In the last few years, the new catch phrase "voluntary stopping of eating and drinking" has made its appearance in the medical and bioethical literature. The practice, whose "primary intention" is to hasten the death of a person who does not want to continue living, has been proposed as an alternative to euthanasia and assisted suicide. Some authors present it as a valid option from both the ethical and legal point of view arguing that it is basically a "natural death" in the same line as a limitation of treatment and does not involve suicide. In this article we present a critical review of the recent literature and reach the conclusion that it is very difficult to consider this practice as anything other than a type of suicide. In consequence, healthcare workers should consider it alien to medical ethos and good clinical practice
Assuntos
Humanos , Suicídio Assistido/ética , Inanição/diagnóstico , Tomada de Decisões , Ingestão de Líquidos , Ingestão de Alimentos , Privação de Água , Eutanásia Ativa Voluntária/éticaRESUMO
In the last few years, the new catch phrase â³voluntary stopping of eating and drinkingâ³ has made its appearance in the medical and bioethical literature. The practice, whose â³primary intentionâ³ is to hasten the death of a person who does not want to continue living, has been proposed as an alternative to euthanasia and assisted suicide. Some authors present it as a valid option from both the ethical and legal point of view arguing that it is basically a â³natural deathâ³ in the same line as a limitation of treatment and does not involve suicide. In this article we present a critical review of the recent literature and reach the conclusion that it is very difficult to consider this practice as anything other than a type of suicide. In consequence, healthcare workers should consider it alien to medical ethos and good clinical practice.
