A court in Trieste has rejected a
request filed by Martina Oppelli, who has had the fatal
nerve-wasting disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) for
over 20 years, to order local health authority ASUGI to apply a
constitutional sentence, recognising her right to die through
assisted suicide, the right-to-die Luca Coscioni Association
reported on Friday.
The Association, which has been following the case, said the
court's decision was based on testimony given by doctors.
According to the court-appointed physicians and the tribunal,
"Martina does not depend on treatment of vital support and
therefore has no right to access 'assisted suicide' in Italy",
said the Association.
In 2009 the Constitutional Court said assisted suicide is
permissible in Italy in some circumstances in its 'Cappato
ruling', named after Marco Cappato, the treasurer of the Luca
Coscioni Association.
The requirements outlined in the 2019 sentence included the
presence of an irreversible pathology, unbearable physical or
psychological suffering and the patient's reliance on treatments
of vital support, among others.
The court also called on parliament to pass legislation dealing
with end-of-life issues, something that it has failed to do so
far.
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