Thousands of signatures presented to Mexican Congress urging defeat of euthanasia bill – Catholic News Agency

Speaking with ACI Prensa, CNAs Spanish-language news partner, Ivette Laviada, who holds a masters degree in bioethics, said that the death with dignity initiative that is proposed for debate in the Chamber of Deputies is completely contrary to human rights.

In Mexico, euthanasia and assisted suicide are expressly prohibited in Article 166 of the General Health Law and in Article 312 of the Federal Penal Code [CPF], she added.

Laviada also pointed out that the disguise that they want to put on active euthanasia [considered as helping or inducing suicide] as an act of mercy at the request of the patient to avoid suffering from a terminal illness has many angles that must be considered.

It is not the same thing to regulate advance directives in which a terminally ill person can in the exercise of his freedom decide what means, therapies, or procedures he wants to receive or not during the course of his illness, as to request that medical personnel or even a family member procure his death to lighten his pain since as established by the CPF, whoever procures the death of another commits homicide, she stressed.

Laviada also stressed that a dignified death has more to do with accompanying the sick with quality care and attention without artificially prolonging life with disproportionate means and without hastening death.

When a doctor can no longer cure, he can accompany with palliative care, she said. Necessary nutrition, hygiene, and medicines that eliminate or reduce pain should not be withheld and the patient, if he so desires, should receive spiritual accompaniment.

See original here:

Thousands of signatures presented to Mexican Congress urging defeat of euthanasia bill - Catholic News Agency