Munich (dpa/lby) – The Bavarian Ethics Council recommended that the state government deal with the subject quickly after the Federal Constitutional Court’s ruling on assisted suicide. Under no circumstances should a situation arise in which a “market” for euthanasia develops its own momentum and is granted de facto dominance, according to a statement by the Ethics Council published on Wednesday. The body itself is divided on the question of whether or not there should be state advice for those affected. However, a majority of the members spoke out in favor of government offers.
In 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court cleared the way for offers of euthanasia. Terminally ill people can choose suicide, for example if they have to suffer extremely severe pain and there is no prospect of healing or relief.
The majority of the Ethics Council members have spoken out in favor of creating state-regulated counseling services for people who want assisted suicide. Otherwise there is a risk that unregulated offers will gain the upper hand. The opponents of such offers within the Ethics Council fear that such counseling offers could contribute to the normalization of assisted suicide.
