"The choice for death" and neurology

Abstract

In the last decade, "end-of-life" issues have gained prominence in political and social debates in many countries. The deliberate ending of the life of a patient upon his/her own request has become a hotly contested topic. This paper discusses the implications of this debate and of corresponding policy and legal developments for neurology. We discuss the nomenclature of the "choices for death", euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide and palliative care as well as the social dynamics underlying these developments. We suggest that we need a more nuanced and empirically based understanding of the process of the "choice for death and its implications for medical practice."