Assistance au suicide : un choix personnel ou de société ?

Confronted on a daily basis with issues relating to the end of life in a palliative care medical centre in Geneva, the authors, who come from different European cultures, put forward their conclusions to the following specific question, “Is assisted suicide considered a medical treatment in palliative care?” After reviewing the different laws and current situation in Switzerland neighbouring countries and without denying the cultural and historical issues facing society in this respect, their unanimous response was “no”. However, they recognize that this position is contrary to the current trend to associate physicians with this assistance in self-determination, which is authorized or under debate in many European countries. They are convinced they have daily proof that relieving symptoms and suffering is an integral part of their job and find it paradoxical to entrust carers with a role that is completely contradictory to their commitments to society and the oaths they may have taken. They accordingly maintain their conviction that it is their duty to escort their patients from life towards death, rather than shifting care towards the illusion of mastering life and its end.