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When Life Becomes Intolerable

November 15, 2016

Every year, many terminally ill patients opt to go to Switzerland to end their lives. Medically assisted suicide is legal there under certain conditions. Why do people choose this route when palliative care is available?

https://p.dw.com/p/2SiTl
Image: BR

More and more people in Germany are demanding the right to assisted suicide. Dr Marcus Schlemmer, who works in the area of palliative medicine, believes the trend reflects a fear of the end of life. He believes it’s the fear of pain, loneliness and of becoming dependent on others that drives people to seek a rapid death assisted by a doctor. 
Filmmaker Max Kronawitter accompanies two individuals struggling with incurable illnesses and looks at how they respond and why.