[The desire to depart from life with dignity--an approach to physician-assisted suicide].

"Sentenced to life". In German newspaper and journal articles as well as on television a controversial debate has emerged about the right-to-die. In history and many Western countries people have always been discussing assisted suicide. Under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, terminally ill adult Oregonians are allowed to obtain and use prescriptions from their physicians for self-administered, lethal medications. The Oregon Public Health Division is required by the Act to collect information on compliance and to issue an annual report. This has been made public. According to these data, there was no slippery slope. In addition, no philosophical arguments can be put forward for the absolute prohibition against suicide of the terminally ill. This should give impetus to efforts to find solutions for the patients in all Western countries.