Nurses’ union supports the right for terminally ill patients to choose euthanasia

MUMN says the right of terminally ill patients to choose euthanasia should be respected but argues hospital is not the appropriate setting

13 May 2025, 10:38am
by Kurt Sansone

2 min read

MUMN says nurses witness firsthand the agony some terminally ill patients have to endure

Euthanasia is about respecting the wishes of patients on their deathbed, the nurses’ union said on Tuesday, calling it “a deeply personal choice”.

However, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said euthanasia is not appropriate within a hospital setting, calling for a designated place for this purpose.

The MUMN said that unlike other ethical debates such as abortion, euthanasia was a choice that “affects no third parties directly”.

The union was reacting to the consultation document published by the government last week, which is proposing the introduction of voluntary assisted euthanasia for adult terminally ill patients, who have been given six months to live.

“The decision of a patient suffering from continuous, unbearable pain who is facing terminal illness deserves respect,” the MUMN said.

It added that nurses witness on a firsthand basis the agony these patients endure. “We see patients receiving morphine, only to request another dose within 20 minutes because the pain has not subsided,” the union said, adding that no individual has the right to pass judgement on a dying patient enduring such pain. “Let us respect the patient’s right to choose at the end of their life.”

The MUMN agreed with the government’s proposal that certification of a patient’s request for assisted dying should be made by a board that reviews medical records to ensure the patient meets all criteria.

The MUMN stressed though that euthanasia should never come at the expense of palliative care. The union said it is actively engaging with the health minister to expand community-based palliative care.

“Relatives wishing to care for their loved ones at home should be fully supported with the provision of a 24-hour carer, a special bed and all the necessary medications without bureaucratic hurdles,” the union said.

Last week, Archbishop Charles Scicluna urged healthcare professionals to be “servants of life with dignity, never dispensers of death”, calling for palliative care to be provided “up to natural end”.

The Life Network Foundation, a pro-life organisation, called euthanasia the “deliberate termination of human life” and insisting on improvements to palliative care instead.

Kurt Sansone is Executive Editor of MaltaToday. He was formerly deputy editor of MaltaTod...