Euthanasia

the silent right to die

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss euthanasia, regarding the patients' autonomy of will, the guarantee of the right to health and of the dignity of the person, countering arguments and questioning how much autonomy of will influences the perception of euthanasia in the Brazilian legal system. In addition, seek the history of euthanasia and its forms of attainment. In this way, the dilemma established is witnessing the suffering of an individual who is approaching the end of life having to decide between the right to life or to a dignified death. As this issue belongs to the spheres of medicine, ethics and law, this paper considers the legal implications of this practice, as well as what posture should be adopted, especially by the physician when faced with this situation. The reflection begins with the meaning of the institute of euthanasia, from its historical evolution to the recognized species of assistance to a dignified death. Then, the concept of dignified death, personality rights and autonomy of the will are discussed. The theme and its practice in Brazil are discussed, as well as pertinent notes to the foreign scenario. Finally, the concepts of bioethics and bio-law are defined. In this context, the work addresses the discussion pertinent to the field of human sciences, such as medicine and law. From the systematic literature review, it also projected to establish the prevalence and the criteria adopted for the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide in our country. A better understanding of the object of this work proves to be fundamental to develop opinions, collect judgments and foster future debates.