Reflexiones a propósito de la propuesta de regulación de la eutanasia voluntaria en España

This article provides a critical commentary on the bill to decriminalise voluntary euthanasia, presented by the Socialist Parliamentary Group in January 2020. In general, the thesis defended here is that the law proposal must be positively assessed to the extent that a competent person’s right to receive “both active and passive” medical help to die is recognised in situations of “severe and incurable, or chronic and disabling disease”. Firstly, the work presents the concept of euthanasia and the different types of it, hereby specifying which of these types would be decriminalised under the bill. Furthermore, some of the most relevant aspects of the draft law are analysed, for instance: The foundation of the decriminalisation of voluntary euthanasia; the requirement that this conduct be driven and coordinated by a medical doctor; the state of illness, the age, and the mental competence requirements for the person who seeks help; the checks carried out in order to guarantee the adequacy of the procedure; or the regulation of the conscientious objection to euthanasia. Although some of the aspects under analysis might be improvable, the evaluation of the bill is clearly favorable.