Belgium- The reunited commissions of Social Affairs and Senate Justice finished yesterday with organized auditions in light of an eventual extension of the law partially decriminalizing euthanasia, the last specialists to speak concentrated on certain refusals to practise euthanasia experienced the current context, notably in cases concerning psychic pathologists.
The two commission presidents, Elke Sleurs (N-VA) et Alain Courtois (MR), will meet tomorrow, Thursday to agree on a time frame for the remainder of the work. The political debates could begin within the next two weeks.
One problem that has been brought up these last months in the Senate concerns the refusal of certain doctors, but also of certain institutions to practise euthanasia, a viewpoint that potentially comes into conflict with the the patient's right of access.
Professor Herman Nys (KUL), a great euthanasia specialist, suggested to make obligatory the necessity for a doctor refusing euthanasia to refer the patient to a colleague under threat of "disciplinary sanctions". The present law allows a doctor to refuse to perform the action, it then becomes the patient's job to consult another doctor. The previous doctor must then share the patient's folder.
Jacqueline Herremans, president of the Association pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité, for her part estimates that the obligatory referral would suffise to create a favourable "movement".
Note: In Quebec, it would be obligatory to refer from the start. Would there be disciplinary sanctions for Quebec doctors who refuse to refer?
ShareJUN
2013