Abstract
Euthanasia is considered as one of the typical topics in medical law, but is mostly analysed mainly from the aspect of criminal law. The same attitude was chosen as well in this work, in which the author seeks primarily to refer about certain weaknesses of the traditional classification of euthanasia according to the criminal law, as well as of the unsatisfactory terminology.
The focus of the entire work lies in a detailed analysis of the criminal responsibility of the physician whilst performing life termination on request and assisted suicide, and in an introduction of legal policies of some European countries and Oregon. However, the main focus remains on clearly on the practical problems connected with the whole area of assisted death (including withdrawal of the life support according to the wish of the patient).
Leitmotif of the entire work could be defined as a conflict between the respect for patient autonomy and the paternalistic protection of life, which with no doubt are in the area of end-of-life decisions often in a contraposition to each other.