HUMAN DIGNITY AND THE END OF LIFE

20/01/2020 By Marzia Lucianer

Debate on recent Constitutional Court ruling (242/2019)

Trento-based FBK is hosting a meeting on Friday, January 24, at 2:00 p.m.

“The physician, even if asked by the patient, must not perform or favor any treatment aimed at causing death”. This reads article 17 of the Code of medical ethics. But, in light of Constitutional Court’s decision No. 242 of September 25 2019, which declared article 580 of the Criminal Code partially illegitimate, one wonders: how should the doctor behave to comply with the sentence without conflicting with his or her own code of Conduct? The ruling ignited the debate and shook consciences, especially among Italian health professionals, creating significant interpretation issues from a deontological standpoint, and forcing the National Health System to adopt measures consistent with its content.

Already in the aftermath of the publication of order of the Constitutional Court No. 207 of 2018 on the punishment of assisted suicide (criminal proceedings against Marco Cappato for the assisted suicide of Fabiano Antoniani – aka “DJ Fabo“), the Ethics Board of the National Federation of SMedical Associations – the FNOMCeO – started a process of reflection and study, which has had the code of ethics as a constant reference. Today more than ever, doctors are called to express their thoughts and to take a position in the interest of people only. Especially, that of the weakest and most vulnerable, which the system wants to protect by avoiding external interference in an extreme and irreparable choice.

The purpose of the meeting next Friday, January 24, from 2:00 p.m., at the FBK in via S. Croce 77 in Trento, is to illustrate the contents of the Court’s decision, to understand what the impacts on the ethical level may be for the medical profession, to identify the responsibilities of the National Healthcare System public structures and contribute to the physician’s “know-how”, in their difficult position as an intermediary between society and science, variables that are constantly changing.

The afternoon dedicated to discussion, open to the public, has been organized by the Trento Medical Association and by Fondazione Bruno Kessler’s “FBK for Health” program, and sponsored by the Trento Province Healthcare System.

The event will be streamed live at:

https://www.youtube.com/FBKresearch

Free admission.

PROGRAM – JANUARY 24 2020

2.00 pm REGISTRATION

2.30 pm OPENING

Antonella Graiff, “FBK per la Salute” Program Coordinator

Marco Ioppi, president, Trento Medical Association – OMCeO Trento

Paolo Bordon, general Director APSS (Trento Province Healthcare System)

2.45 pm TALKS

MODERATORS

Giovanni de Pretis, director, Department of Gastroenterology, Santa Chiara Hospital, Trento