The right to die with dignity in Colombia

Abstract

The euthanasia is a controversial topic when we talk about moral ethics, political and judicial character, which it has inspired States as the Colombian to legalizing the practice of taking the life from a subject when he suffers a terminal illness. In Colombia it is legalized from 1997, but at present it does not have a norm that regulates it, the Congress of the Republic has not declared itself opposite to the topic for the strong influence of the Catholic Church in laws that can question religious principles. This medical practice allows that the terminal patients who do not want to continue suffering for pathology without treatment and tortuous days can die with dignity. With this postulate euthanasia was decriminalized and until 2014 the issue was again taken up, laying down rules that should precede it, which reflects that it could not be materialized as it was sought at the time, the Constitutional Court had to intervene through action of guardianship2 to urge the Ministry of Health to proceed to direct the health providers about euthanasia. Therefore, the present study will show the countries that have regulated euthanasia and other similar practices for the same purpose, at the same time will set the elements that are required to practice it not only in Colombia but in the countries that currently apply it, Likewise, the judicial progress that Colombia has had in this regard will be reviewed, which was extended to minors. The previous thing was achieved with the meticulous reading of the sentences that will be cited in the course of the presented work, of the doctrine referring to the subject, of the news review, news releases, and videos among other things.