Withdrawal of Treatment at the End of Life and Patient Advance Directives

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01356
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 05050:Criminal law-related
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: TADAKI Makoto 中央大学, 法学部, 教授 (90222108)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 終末期医療 / 治療中止 / 自己決定(権) / 患者の自己決定 / 事前指示(書) / 生命の尊厳 / 医師の治療義務 / 医療の萎縮

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recently, the option of discontinuing treatment has been discussed as one of the means by which terminally ill patients can self-actualize their own death. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative legal study of the current state of discussion in Europe, including Germany and Switzerland, regarding the discontinuation of treatment and the state of advance directives for patients regarding this. We also extracted the legal theoretical issues regarding this issue, explored measures to be taken in medical practice, and explored the direction of future legal responses in Japan.

Free Research Field

社会科学―法学―刑事法学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

終末期医療における治療中止と患者の事前指示については、「強いられた自己決定」の回避、翻意の可能性への考慮等々の課題もまた挙げられているところ、わが国における治療中止と事前指示の採用に関しては、ヨーロッパとは異なる文化的背景を踏まえた方法論の一般化、国民の合意、そして法的枠組みの策定に向けた議論が求められている。本研究では、ドイツ、スイスの状況についての幅広い調査と検証、考察を行い、その成果をわが国の議論の進捗の一助として世に提供したものである。