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Assisted Suicide in Switzerland

The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
 
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04261088
Recruitment Status : Active, not recruiting
First Posted : February 7, 2020
Last Update Posted : March 21, 2023
Sponsor:
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

Study Description
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Brief Summary:

Background:

Researchers want to learn more about how the Swiss model of assisted suicide works. To do this, they have interviewed 25 Swiss experts. The researchers will draw on research in the fields of ethics, law, and medicine to analyze the transcripts.

Objective:

To describe the practice of assisted suicide in Switzerland and to study how the policy is carried out, how the right-to-die societies work, and the ethical implications of the practice.

Eligibility:

Swiss experts in the field of assisted suicide

Design:

The study includes 25 interviews that have already been conducted. The participants were:

  • academics
  • doctors and others in medical care
  • a government official
  • representatives of right-to-die societies.

Researchers will analyze the data using qualitative methods. Two researchers will develop a coding scheme and code the texts and analyze the data.


Condition or disease
Assisted Suicide

Detailed Description:

Switzerland is the only country in the world that enables assisted suicide by lay people, i.e.,

people who are not physicians. All other countries that have adopted aid-in-dying legislation

require that a physician provides this assistance. This project probes the reasons for adopting this policy, and the advantages and the disadvantages of the Swiss model at the end of life. Are the Swiss aid-in-dying volunteers able to provide well-informed assistance to patients in need? Is the Swiss model one to be followed by other nations? The project will focus on the work of the Swiss aid-in-dying societies. The study draws on research in the fields of ethics, law and medicine. Its novelty lies in incorporating different methods of analysis, reflecting on the right to die with dignity within a liberal framework that aims to respect fundamental human rights.

Study Design
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Study Type : Observational
Actual Enrollment : 25 participants
Observational Model: Case-Only
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
Official Title: Assisted Suicide in Switzerland
Actual Study Start Date : February 3, 2020
Estimated Primary Completion Date : January 31, 2024
Estimated Study Completion Date : January 31, 2024

Resource links provided by the National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus related topics: Suicide

Groups and Cohorts
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Group/Cohort
Experts in Swiss assisted suicide
Persons in Switzerland who are experts in how assisted suicide is practiced. We will beexamining already collected interviews.


Outcome Measures
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Primary Outcome Measures :
  1. Descriptive study [ Time Frame: Ongoing ]
    This is a qualitative descriptive study of transcripts.


Eligibility Criteria
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Information from the National Library of Medicine

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.


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Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older   (Adult, Older Adult)
Sexes Eligible for Study:   All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Sampling Method:   Non-Probability Sample
Study Population
25 transcripts of interviews with: Academics 14, Physicians and other medical care 6, Right to die associations 4, Government official 1
Criteria
  • INCLUSION/EXCLUSION:

The study includes 25 interviews with Swiss experts that have been conducted.

  • Gender: Men 14, Women 11
  • Backgrounds of interviewees: Academics 14, Physicians and other medical care 6, Right to die associations 4, Government official 1
  • Race and ethnicity: All white Swiss.
  • Age range: Unknown, but all are adults.
  • No vulnerable populations.
Contacts and Locations
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Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT04261088


Locations
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United States, Maryland
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Sponsors and Collaborators
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Investigators
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Principal Investigator: Scott Y Kim, M.D. National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
More Information
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Responsible Party: National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04261088    
Other Study ID Numbers: 999920059
20-CC-N059
First Posted: February 7, 2020    Key Record Dates
Last Update Posted: March 21, 2023
Last Verified: August 19, 2022

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Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No
Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Ethics
Switzerland
End of life
Assisted Death
Natural History
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
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Suicide
Suicide, Assisted
Self-Injurious Behavior
Behavioral Symptoms