Griffiths P
School of Health Science, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, West Glamorgan, UK.
Nurs Ethics. 1999 Mar;6(2):107-17. doi: 10.1177/096973309900600203.
People who wish to end their lives when they consider that they cannot endure further pain and suffering cannot legally obtain help to produce a peaceful death. The reality of practice seems to be that, covertly, physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia do take place. The value of personal autonomy in issues of consent has been clarified in the courts in that a competent adult person has the right to refuse or choose alternative treatments even if death will be the outcome. This issue needs open discussion and regulation in order to protect those vulnerable people in our society.
那些认为自己无法忍受更多痛苦而希望结束生命的人，在法律上无法获得帮助以实现安详离世。实际情况似乎是，医生协助自杀和自愿安乐死确实在暗中发生。关于同意问题上的个人自主权价值已在法庭上得到阐明，即有行为能力的成年人有权拒绝或选择其他治疗方法，即便结果是死亡。为了保护我们社会中的那些弱势群体，这个问题需要公开讨论并加以规范。
