Page 62 - IJSA, Vol. 7, No 1, 2024

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2024
рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa

SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES. Health Care Sciences

REVIEW ARTICLE
Choosing to Die with the Help or by the Hand

of a Doctor (Medically-Assisted Death):
Limitations and Safety Profiles

––––
Authors’ Contribution: 1 ABDEF 2 ADEF
A – Study design; Cembrani F. , De Leo D.
B – Data collection;
C – Statistical analysis; 1 University of Verona, Italy
D – Data interpretation; 2 Griffith University, Australia
E – Manuscript preparation;
F – Literature search; Received: 07.01.2024; Accepted: 27.02.2024; Published: 30.06.2024
G – Funds collection
Abstract
Background and Depression severity can be profoundly impacting the life of individuals, while its
Aim of Study: persistence can provoke the conviction that recovery is unattainable. One of the
extreme consequences is the request for euthanasia. However, during major
depression cognition can be significantly impaired. In this study, we comment on
the exemplar case of a Belgian lady, Mrs. Godelieva de Troyer, who made that
request and obtained the desired outcome.
The aim of the study: to consider a specific case of a patient with major depressive
disorder and the role of doctors in informing the decision about medically assisted
death.
Material and Methods: The history of the request made by Mrs. Godelieva is described. The procedure
was followed by the reactive initiatives of the son of the lady, who made a formal
complaint against the procedure that brought his mother to death and appealed
the European Court of Justice.
Results: A description of what happened is briefly reported, including considerations on
the clinical treatments received by Mrs. Godelieva, the roles interpreted by the
doctors she consulted and, finally, the appropriateness of the decision taken.
Conclusions: In revisiting this case, the decision-making process during major depression
episodes and the authenticity and robustness of end-of-life choices in similar
cases are critically examined. Comments are made on the frequency of cognitive
impairments during major depressive episodes and the need to provide depressed
people the necessary support during their important choices.
Keywords: Major depression, chronic persistent depression, euthanasia, medically assisted
suicide, care for depressed people, psychological support, European Court of
Justice
Copyright: © 2024 Cembrani F., De Leo D. Published by Archives of International Journal
of Science Annals
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26697/ijsa.2024.1.1
Conflict of interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests
Peer review: Double-blind review
Source of support: This research did not receive any outside funding or support
Information about Cembrani Fabio (Corresponding Author) – https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6214-
the authors: 6557; [email protected]; Coroner, Contract Professor, University of
Verona, Verona, Italy.
De Leo Diego – https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8255-6480; Doctor of Medical
Sciences, MD, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Griffith University, Brisbane,
Australia.

Introduction
Depression and Bio-Legal Issues: General Framework disability globally, as confirmed by the Global Burden of
Depression is a clinical reality frequently encountered in Disease study (GBD) which calculated, for 2019, the
psychogeriatric clinics; it is the leading cause of disability adjusted life years (sum of years of life lost in

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