Background

In February 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court declared the ban on the commercial promotion of suicide (Section 217 of the German Criminal Code) to be unconstitutional. Since then, the debate on assisted suicide has picked up speed again: Euthanasia organizations claim to provide assisted suicide in several hundred cases each year; the German Medical Association has lifted the medical ban on assisted suicide; numerous healthcare professionals have already been involved in assisted suicide and an increasing number of them can imagine assisting. International studies show that the implementation of assisted suicide is a complex process in which numerous actors are involved and many challenges are experienced. Institutional and systemic conditions have an impact on the implementation and evaluation of assisted suicide, but empirical data from Germany on the practice of assisted suicide is scarce.

Aims

The research project aims to answer the following questions

1. How do healthcare workers, other stakeholders involved and relatives experience the current practice of assisted suicide in Germany?
2. What practical, organizational, ethical and legal challenges arise in the practice of assisted suicide?
3. How can assisted suicide be embedded in the structures of the healthcare system?

Methods

ASEP is an explorative research project with a qualitative study design that is iteratively structured over three project phases:

1. Expert interviews with representatives of relevant associations and institutions as well as individuals with special field knowledge
2. Individual interviews with practitioners from various professional groups and relatives who have already been involved in the implementation of suicide assistance
3. Focus group interviews with experts to reflect on the results and develop proposals for the design of interfaces between the practice of assisted suicide and the structures of the healthcare system

The project is supported in all phases by a scientific advisory board with experts from the fields of medicine, nursing sciences, medical law and medical ethics.

Relevance of the expected results

The results of the project will be used by healthcare stakeholders and experts in medical ethics and medical law to develop regulations and guidelines on assisted suicide. In addition, the findings are intended to support political decision-makers in linking assisted suicide with the framework conditions and structures of the healthcare system. The results will be disseminated via a brochure and a specialist symposium.

Funding

The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (project number: 537566039) with a duration of 30 months from 01.04.2025.

Publications

Schwabe S, Herbst FA, Stiel S, Schneider N (2024) Suicide assistance in Germany: A protocol for a multi-perspective qualitative study to explore the current practice. PLoS ONE 19(12): e0311880. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311880

Contact

Dr. Sven Schwabe (Project Manager)
Phone: +49 511 532 8599

Address

Hannover Medical School
Institute ofGeneral Medicine and Palliative Medicine
Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1
30625 Hannover