Ethics Committees and End of Life Decisions: The Experience in Veneto

Abstract

The paper analyses the role of the Ethics Committees for Clinical Practice (CEPC) in the Veneto Region with regard to requests for medical assistance in dying, considering constitutional jurisprudence and the lack of an organic legislative framework. After reconstructing the regional regulatory and organisational framework, the focus is on the experience of the CEPC of ULSS 6 Euganea and on the operational practices that have been followed to date in the management of requests for medically assisted death. The paper highlights the operational proposals put forward by the CEPC to ensure transparency, speed, and protection of people in vulnerable situations, emphasising the need for shared procedures, regional coordination among CEPCs, and structured investment in bioethical education.