Death crossed the border -Comparative Study of Euthanasia in Netherland and Switzerland

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25590127
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Hyogo University
• Principal Investigator: Makita Machiko 兵庫大学, 生涯福祉学部, 教授 (80331784)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): UCHIDA Tohru 兵庫大学, 健康科学部, 教授 (90397828)
• Research Collaborator: NAGAYAMA Saki ; NOZAKI Shinjiro
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 安楽死 / 尊厳死 / 自殺幇助 / 自己決定 / 他者決定 / 自殺幇助機関 / オランダ / スイス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Netherland a person’s will to die is regulated by the "Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act" from 2002, while in Switzerland people take it for granted that a person’s will to die is guaranteed by the Swiss Criminal act of 115. Firstly this study overviews the similarity and the difference of the concept of Euthanasia being discussed between Netherland and Switzerland and examines each history, data, cases brought to the court and the relating acts of the neighboring countries. Secondly I discuss the “unbearable pain” referring whether the mental pain is subsumed in this category or not and also I argue whether we judge properly the human rights of those people suffering from dementia if they want to have assisted suicide or not. Finally, I conclude how we can regulate and/or guarantee the candidates’ human rights crossing the border to have assisted suicide at DIGNITAS.

Free Research Field

社会福祉政策学