The end of life
For several decades the SAMS has dealt intensively with the questions associated with the end of life and especially also with the questions of euthanasia and care of the dying. In 1976 it for the first time published medical-ethical guidelines on this subject, which have been regularly revised and which set standards for medical practice in this particular field. Until a new version was published in 2004 the SAMS took the position that «assisted suicide» has no place in medical practice. The cautious opening to the guidelines, «Care of patients approaching the end of their life», led to sometimes violent reactions, which clearly showed how divided the medical profession still is with regard to this question. However, it has to be said that the scope of these guidelines is very limited. Also, up till now the SAMS has basically been of the opinion that it is not the task of medical doctors to meet the wish to die of patients who are sick, who are suffering or who are handicapped, but who are not approaching the end of their life. As an important complement to these guidelines, in 2006 the SAMS adopted medical-ethical guidelines on the subject «Palliative Care».
For a long time now the SAMS has also been speaking in favour of the supervision of euthanasia organisations by the Federal Government. It considers that it is unsatisfactory that precisely here, where it is a matter of life and death, that there are only inadequate criteria with regard to patient care and there is no supervision.Relevant documents: (further documents are available in German and French)
Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, Petersplatz 13,