RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Distinction between euthanasia and palliative sedation is clear-cut
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 55
OP 56
DO 10.1136/medethics-2019-105457
VO 46
IS 1
A1 Lars Johan Materstvedt
YR 2020
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/46/1/55.abstract
AB This article is a response to Thomas David Riisfeldt’s paper entitled ‘Weakening the ethical distinction between euthanasia, palliative opioid use and palliative sedation’. It is shown that as far as euthanasia and palliative sedation are concerned, Riisfeldt has not established that a common ground, or a similarity, between the two is the relief of suffering. Quite the contrary, this is not characteristic of euthanasia, neither by definition nor from a clinical point of view. Hence, the argument hinges on a conceptually and empirically erroneous premise and is accordingly a non-starter.