Dignitas (euthanasia group)

Dignitas is a Swiss assisted suicide group that helps those with incurable physical and mental illnesses to die with the aid of doctors and nurses. It was founded in 1998 by the Swiss lawyer, Ludwig Minelli. Swiss laws on assisted suicide hold that a person who assists in an assisted suicide can only be prosecuted if they are motivated by self-interest.

Dignitas not only helps those with incurable physical illnesses such as cancer to commit suicide, but, now also helps those with incurable mental illnesses, provided that they are of sound judgment and submit an in-depth medical report prepared by a psychiatrist, that establishes the patients condition as fulfilling the specifications of the Federal (Supreme) Court of Switzerland, that state that “It cannot be denied that an incurable, long-lasting, severe mental impairment similar to a somatic one can create a suffering out of which a patient would find his/her life in the long run not worth living anymore. Based on more recent ethical, juridical and medical statements, a possible prescription of Sodium Pentobarbital is not necessarily contra-indicated and thus no longer generally a violation of medical duty of care. However, utmost restraint needs to be exercised: It has to be distinguished between the wish to die that is expression of a curable psychic distortion and which calls for treatment, and the wish to die that bases on a self-determined, carefully considered and lasting decision of a lucid person ("balance suicide") which possibly needs to be respected. If the wish to die bases on an autonomous, the general situation comprising decision, under certain circumstances even mentally ill may be prescribed Sodium-Pentobarbital and thus be granted help to commit suicide." "Whether the prerequisites for this are given cannot be judged on separated from medical – especially psychiatric – special knowledge and proves to be difficult in practice; therefore, the appropriate assessment requires the presentation of a special in-depth psychiatric opinion."