1 research outputs found
End-of-life Decisions in Albania: The Call for an Ethical Revision
While in Western European countries, the end-of-life decisions have become a matter
of public policy, this paper provides a detailed analysis of end-of-life decisions in
Albania by focusing on instructional medical directives. The manuscript investigates
the Albanian legal system, the documents published by the National Ethics Committee
and the National Committee of Health, as the two main advisory public bodies
on health issues, as well as the national medical jurisprudence and the Code of Medical
Ethics. After emphasizing the importance of instructional medical directives
and considering the international literature that has underlined the ethical principle
of patient autonomy, this paper provides some policy suggestions. In the conclusion,
this contribution highlights the importance of ad hoc rules governing instructional
medical directives as well as the ethical principles and international literature as an
instrument to fill the gap in the national system. In addition, particular attention is
given to the application of ethical principles in end-of-life decisions in the current
pandemic situation