Bioethics, palliative care and liberation: a contribution to “dying well”

Abstract

Technological advances in the health field reinforce the importance of bioethics in guaranteeing fundamental rights related not only to life, but also to death. This article reflects on dying and the contributions that bioethics has made to the topic, either by the traditional principles of autonomy and dignity, or by the defense of a new category: liberation, proposed by intervention bioethics based on Paulo Freire. This qualitative research study, with a hermeneutic, reflective, sociocritical and analytical
approach, aims to show that liberation can contribute to train more critical, committed and free professionals and patients, capable of facing a moment of such vulnerability as the moment of death is. The article argues that adopting the concept of liberation in the bioethical reflection on palliative care can contribute to the “dying well” process.