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A man named Zhong was nearly paralyzed after suffering a severe cervical spine injury. He applied for legal euthanasia and was referred to the Constitutional Court. Dr. Jiang Guanyu believes that given the small number of patients who cannot get relief from hospice care, the government should evaluate the system and supporting facilities.
A 60-year-old man surnamed Zhong is left nearly paralyzed due to nerve atrophy caused by his injuries. He hopes to be legal.Euthanasia The Supreme Court rejected the protest, and the petition was recently referred to the Constitutional Court, becoming Taiwan’s first constitutional euthanasia lawsuit. Jiang Guanyu, director of the integrated medical care department of the Zhongxing Campus of Beiji United Medical College, said that the needs of the small number of patients exceeding the current medical care capabilities should be taken seriously. Euthanasia may not be appropriate for all patients, but for those who are still unable to meet palliative care needs, or who have severe physical and mental distress due to irreversible illnesses, it should be kept as a possible option, and the government should not abandon the assessment of relevant systems.
Zhong Nan worked in a factory. After retiring a few years ago, his life changed when he fell while walking. The petition said, “After the fall, he was injured in the third to seventh cervical vertebrae. The limbs below his neck became numb and numb, and due to nerve atrophy, his limbs were almost paralyzed. His stomach was tied like a rope. He also had incontinence. He needed the help of others, he lost his basic daily life and suffered physical and mental torture. It was like being locked in a cage, that of a living dead. Kind of.”
Last year, he filed a petition with the Hsinchu District Court for “permission to exercise rights”, hoping to legally perform euthanasia and exempting medical staff who assist from criminal liability. He failed in the first and second trials and then appealed to the Supreme Court, which was rejected in June this year.
Jiang Guanyu said that patients who put forward such strong needs usually mean that they have gone to the doctor many times before and tried various treatment methods, but still cannot get rid of the pain. Such patients may suffer from complex pain due to nerve compression or nerve damage, which cannot be effectively relieved by conventional analgesics, pain department and anesthesiology treatments, or even the morphine used in hospice care.
Jiang Guanyu said that even if some patients receive treatments such as nerve block surgery, they may experience other uncomfortable symptoms due to their special pain patterns, and even increase their physical burden; Nerve blocks also carry a risk of complications. Patients’ needs are certainly diverse. Although this group is in the minority, their needs are beyond the scope of treatment that Taiwan can currently understand, and we need to help them find a way out.
Jiang Guanyu said that the current discussion on euthanasia in Taiwan is still mainly based on advocacy and has not yet accumulated mature implementation experience. Some European countries such as Switzerland have relevant practical experience, and the actual implementation method may not directly involve medical personnel. The main consideration is the professional ethics of medical personnel. Even if the future constitutional interpretation takes a positive stance towards euthanasia, Taiwan’s medical community still lacks relevant technology, experience, systems and talents, so it will take some time to prepare for the implementation of euthanasia.
He believes that the government should accelerate relevant preparations and give professionals the opportunity to study in countries that implement euthanasia and understand the implementation processes and supporting measures, so that they can be prepared to take over if there is a breakthrough in the system in the future. Furthermore, it also calls on the palliative medicine community not to adopt a confrontational attitude with private euthanasia advocacy groups. Both parties must return to the needs of the patient themselves and seek ways to provide more humane care.
Jiang Guanyu said that euthanasia is not suitable for every patient, but if it is confirmed that medical methods have reached their limits and palliative care cannot meet the patient’s needs and can also increase the suffering of patients and family caregivers, then society should understand why this option has become appealing to some patients from the perspective of humanistic care and holistic medical care.
They believe that in addition to ensuring patient autonomy, the practice of euthanasia should also improve the safety of medical personnel and related technical personnel, so that family members do not later regret the procedure and the executor does not face litigation or legal liability. The system design should be more detailed and fully consider the wishes of patients, the situation of family members, and the rights and interests of medical personnel, so as to avoid greater mistrust between doctors and patients.
Summary FAQ
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A 60-year-old man named Zhong was injured after falling. After suffering severe damage to his cervical spine, his nerves became weak, his limbs were almost paralyzed and he suffered prolonged physical and mental suffering. Last year, he filed a lawsuit to claim legal euthanasia, becoming the first constitutional euthanasia lawsuit in Taiwan.
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He said that some patients have tried various treatments but still have not been able to get relief from their pain. Even painkillers, pain treatments or palliative care may not be effective. Society must have more options for cases that exceed current medical care capabilities.
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Jiang Guanyu believes that Taiwan’s medical community lacks practical experience, and the government should first develop talents, refer to the procedures of countries that have been implemented, and design supporting features such as patient autonomy, family wishes, and legal protection of medical care to avoid additional risks for physicians.
