Psychotherapists’ role in requests for assisted suicide-an open question

Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2026 Feb 10. doi: 10.1007/s00103-026-04201-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Patients’ requests for assisted suicide involve a complex, longitudinal, and iterative process. For healthcare professionals, this process potentially involves various communicative and evaluative tasks, such as providing information about alternative courses of action, assessing psychological distress and, if necessary, diagnosing mental disorders and examining free decision-making capacity. Due to pending legislation in Germany, there are currently no specific obligations for psychotherapists regarding assisted suicide. This narrative review first specifies general tasks in requests for assisted suicide and then applies these to psychotherapists. A distinction is made between legal and professional obligations (“must”/”cannot”), professional competencies (“can”), and normative recommendations derived from these (“should”).Psychotherapists’ professional code of conduct and competencies show that they are qualified to participate in requests for assisted suicide. At the same time, possible consequences for the psychotherapeutic role resulting from participation in a request that aims to end one’s life should be thoroughly considered and appropriate communication strategies developed. In addition, a clear distinction must be made between supportive and evaluative activities. The voluntary nature of psychotherapists’ involvement must be preserved, in particular the right to conscientious objection. Overall, the potential benefits of psychotherapists’ involvement in requests for assisted suicide appear to clearly outweigh the possible disadvantages.

PMID:41665673 | DOI:10.1007/s00103-026-04201-1