7 February 1995

Doc. 7236

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on providing care and assistance for the terminally ill and the dying while respecting their wishes and their rights

presented by Mr MONFILS, Belgium, LDR and others

1.       The Assembly is fully aware of the current concern felt by most individuals about how they will die and their demand, in the name of individual freedom, to be able to choose the manner of their death, including, in exceptional circumstances, a hastened death that brings relief from suffering.

2.       Public opinion is divided on the question of euthanasia and the very few examples of legislation under which it is no longer a criminal offence; but forms of assisted suicide, tolerated to a greater or lesser degree by the courts, are developing increasingly across the world.

3.       The Assembly cannot remain outside the debate on this major social issue which is already under way in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, the United States and other countries.

4.       Where a patient who is terminally ill and suffering unbearable pain asks to be allowed to die, the question is whether this request should be met, provided certain very precise guarantees are observed (revocable informed consent, involvement of several doctors, judicial supervision etc).

5.       However, this debate cannot take place in isolation without any reference to national health policies: it is necessary to do away with the idea of unavoidable suffering and provide doctors and patients with more information on pain-control techniques and their use; it is also necessary to develop units and staff specialising in palliative care and measures to assist the dying.

6.       The Assembly thus calls on member states to endorse the above mentioned policy.

Signed:

Monfils, Belgium, LDR

De Decker, Belgium, LDR

Seeuws, Belgium, SOC

Van Nieuwenhoven, Netherlands, SOC

Gelderblom-Lankhout, Netherlands, LDR

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP

Dees, Netherlands, LDR

Kempinaire, Belgium, LDR

Özver, Turkey, EPP

Yürür, Turkey, EDG

Burbiené, Lithuania, LDR

Kiliç, Turkey, EPP

Kirca, Turkey, EDG

Pahor, Slovenia, SOC

Atkinson, United Kingdom, GDE

*       SOC : Socialist Group

      EPP : Group of the European People's Party

      EDG : European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left