Legal and ethical reflections about end of life: a discussion about orthothanasia

Abstract

The article aims to present ethical and legal bases for ortothanasia. The search for knowledge bases on data available online and on printed literature with the relevance of articles for the discussion of ortothanasia as inclusion criteria. The practice of ortothanasia is discussed both in medical and in bioethical terms. The article presents the difficult situation of patients, family, and professionals in a delicate and doubtful moment, when the end of life is near.
Law, ethics, and criteria of dignity regarding the practice of ortothanasia are discussed. The article has reflections about death, ethical dilemmas, and actions of professionals in context of terminal patients. Prolonging patient’s life yields very complex situations, but the limit of investing in life must be defined by the vision of decent death, with a full conscience of the limits of interventions. The best solution to each situation is directly connected with the dignity of the person who suffers the inevitable process of death, respected his decision.