title: The medical exception: physicians, euthanasia and the Dutch criminal law.
abstract: The legalization of euthanasia, both in the Netherlands and in other countries is usually justified in reference to the right to autonomy of patients. Utilizing recent Dutch jurisprudence, this article intends to show that the judicial proceedings on euthanasia in the Netherlands have not so much enhanced the autonomy of patients, as the autonomy of the medical profession.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ethics, Philosophy and History of Medicine, Catholic University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Welie
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D000368:Aged; D001675:Bioethics; D003416:Criminal Law; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000145:classification / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D033101:Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033222:Judicial Role; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D028761:Withholding Treatment