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A man in Lombardy has become the first person in Italy to die by assisted suicide in a procedure entirely managed by a regional health service, raising concerns about the transformation of healthcare from preserving life to facilitating death.
Domenico Zuccarella, 59, died by assisted suicide on 25th August. He was the fourth person in Lombardy to end his life through assisted suicide, but the first whose death was completely organised by the Lombardy Regional Health Authority.
Previously, patients or assisted suicide organisations generally had to arrange the personnel, lethal drugs, equipment, and location themselves. In Zuccarella’s case, the regional health authority assumed responsibility for the process, including providing medical professionals who volunteered to participate.
The case represents a significant development in Italy, where assisted suicide has been effectively decriminalised in certain circumstances but remains without a comprehensive legal framework.
In 2019, Italy’s Constitutional Court ruled that assisting suicide would not be punishable in certain cases involving patients experiencing intolerable suffering and dependent upon life-sustaining treatment. Parliament has since failed to agree legislation governing assisted suicide.
Lawmakers are currently considering an end-of-life Bill, with the involvement of the National Health Service proving particularly contentious. The current text would specifically prevent the health service from participating in assisted suicides.
The Luca Coscioni Association, which campaigns for assisted suicide, wants the Lombardy case to become a model for future deaths. It is pushing for legislation that would formalise the involvement of regional healthcare authorities.
However, the prospect of a taxpayer-funded health service assuming responsibility for deliberately facilitating patients’ deaths has alarmed those who know the slippery slope of assisted suicide too well.
Matteo Forte, a Lombardy regional councillor for Brothers of Italy, said Zuccarella’s death raised a fundamental question about the purpose of healthcare.
“What has happened with Domenico is extremely sad news, which raises a political and institutional issue that we cannot turn a blind eye to,” Forte said.
“The risk is that the Regional Health Service will end up taking on a role that goes beyond its fundamental mission, which is to treat patients and protect life.”
SPUC Communications Manager Peter Kearney commented on the case, saying: “What started as a court ruling has now led to taxpayers’ money being used to kill those very taxpayers. Now there are pushes to enshrine this into law. This is the slippery slope in action.
“We know from every jurisdiction where it happens that the so-called “safeguards” will liberalise, and this is another example of that happening.
“Assisted suicide cannot be allowed to happen anywhere in the United Kingdom, and SPUC will fight to make sure we don’t become like Lombardy.”
