Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift
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Wien Med Wochenschr · May 2018
[Voluntary stopping eating and drinking (VSED) : A position paper of the Austrian Palliative Society].
In some cases terminally ill patients fear of prolonged dying and suffering can manifest itself in the voluntary refusal of food and fluids, aiming to accelerate the dying process. This represents a considerable area of conflict, because of the ethical responsibility to not aid a person's death but also to respect a patients autonomy. There is a clear separation between an assisted suicide and following a patient's wishes. ⋯ It is important to be aware, that caring for dying patients refusing food and fluids and accepting their choice is not synonymous with assisted suicide. Rather is it part of medical and nursing care for patients during their dying-process. An interprofessional working group of the Austrian Palliative Society (OPG) intends to shed light on the legal, ethical, medical and nursing related aspects concerning this subject of growing public and professional interest.