For her research, PhD candidate Merel van Veen worked a lot with cancer patients and doctors. Her grandfather was a doctor and a strong advocate of open discussions about the end of life. He was behind her proposition:
PhD candidates are required to submit a few propositions with their thesis. In this feature, they explain the thinking behind their most provocative proposition. This time it’s the turn of Merel van Veen, who obtained her doctorate for her research on the provision of nutritional information for cancer patients and healthcare professionals.
Proposition:‘Every GP must activly discuss end-of-life-wishes with their patients’
‘My granddad inspired me. He used to be a doctor and once he was living in an old people’s home, he did his utmost to get his fellow residents to see the importance of discussing subjects like euthanasia with your doctor in good time. You often find that people reach a point when they don’t want to go on, but it is too late to arrange things. This was all over the media again recently because of a court case against a doctor who had administered euthanasia to a woman with advanced dementia. I think it’s good that the Public Prosecution Service keeps a close eye on this and when in doubt, asks for legal scrutiny. Euthanasia is a complex grey area.
I think GPs should pro-actively discuss the end of life with their patients. Not just so that the doctor gets a clear picture of their wishes, but also to make people aware of their options. The doctor who was prosecuted was found not guilty and I think the judge sent a good signal, because otherwise doctors might not dare make decisions anymore.
Fortunately, my granddad had arranged everything properly in advance, and he died with palliative sedation, which means you are put to sleep and don’t wake up, so you die naturally. For us, that was very good. At some point he was extremely confused but luckily he also had clear moments so we could consult him. It is nice to know what someone wants, not just for the family but also for the doctors.’