The Criminal Liability of Caregivers and Institutions for the Death of the Dying Patient

Abstract:     
The question of Euthanasia has been one of the most complex social questions along the human history, especially in this era, when extending terminally ill patients' life, by modern medical means, is an easier task. Different societies and different cultures came up with different solutions to the medical, philosophical, ethical and legal aspects of this question. Legal systems around the world, settled that issue through Criminal Law, and determined, whether a physician, who prevents extending terminal patient' life, is a merciful human being, or a killer or a murderer, who should be socially banned.

This article deals with the question of Criminal Liability of the medical institution and the medical staff that prevented treatment from a terminal patient, in order to let him die, although the prevention of treatment was done legally, according to the current law. This article refers also to situations, when a terminally ill patient decides to commit a suicide, and the medical staff prevents it, contrary to the law determines that patient's will to die should be respected.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 1

Keywords: Euthanasia, criminal law

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