TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Bersani, Giuseppe
AU  -  Rinaldi, Raffaella
AU  -  Iannitelli, Angela
T1  -  The case of Geneviève Lhermitte’s euthanasia between psychiatric evaluation, legal aspects and ethical reflection
PY  -  2023
Y1  -  2023-11-01
DO  -  10.1708/4143.41411
JO  -  Rivista di Psichiatria
JA  -  Riv Psichiatr
VL  -  58
IS  -  6
SP  -  305
EP  -  309
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2038-2502
Y2  -  2026/05/21
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/4143.41411
N2  -  Summary. A recent euthanasia case in Belgium has garnered attention due to its particularly dramatic aspects, sparking clinical and ethical questions about end-of-life choices in cases of mental suffering. A 56-year-old woman, convicted of the murder of her five minor children and sentenced to life imprisonment, has been granted euthanasia for “irreversible psychological suffering”. The clinical and psychodynamic aspects of the case, primarily deduced from press reports, are highly complex and give rise to numerous clinical, medico-legal, and bioethical questions. These include inquiries into the true nature of psychopathology, its actual irreversibility, its impact on the ability to express a euthanasia request with adequate awareness, the preserved capacity for self-determination, and broader issues related to end-of-life requests from patients with mental disorders. These aspects are considered in the context of the legislation in various European countries. The unique details of this case underscore the critical challenges associated with these complex issues.
ER  -