Cross-Sectional Research Into People Passing Away Through Self-Ingesting Self-Collected Lethal Medication After Receiving Demedicalized Assistance in Suicide

This study describes the characteristics of-and the counseling received by-counselees who passed away through self-ingesting self-collected lethal medication after receiving demedicalised assistance in suicide. We analyzed registration forms filled in by counselors working with Foundation De Einder about 273 counselees who passed away from 2011 to 2015. The majority of these counselees had a serious disease and physical or psychiatric suffering. Half of them had requested physician assistance in dying. This shows that patients with a denied request for physician assistance in dying can persist in their wish to end life. This also shows that not all people with an underlying medical disease request for physician assistance in dying. Physicians and psychiatrist are often uninvolved in these self-chosen deaths while they could have a valuable role in the process concerning assessing competency, diagnosing diseases, and offering (or referring for) treatment.

Automated summary

This study analyzes the characteristics and counseling situation of those who chose self-ingestion of lethal medication after receiving non-medical assistance in suicide. The majority of these counselees had serious diseases and physical or psychiatric suffering, with half of them having requested physician assistance in dying. This suggests that patients can persist in their wish to end life even after being denied such assistance. Additionally, not all individuals with underlying medical conditions choose physician assistance in dying, indicating a potential role for physicians and psychiatrists in assessing competency, diagnosing diseases, and offering or referring for treatment in these cases.