Trentino‑Alto Adige seeks unified assisted‑suicide law as Italy debates palliative‑care ethics

The regional council group Team K has submitted a motion calling for coordinated legislation on medically assisted suicide across the autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento. The proposal aims to ensure equal access to the right recognized by the Italian Constitutional Court, avoid disparities and prevent “internal health tourism” where patients travel between provinces for the procedure. The motion calls for expert hearings on bio‑ethics, palliative medicine and health ethics, and suggests transmitting the outcomes to the national parliament for a broader legal framework.

At the same time, the Italian Society of Palliative Care (SICP) released a position paper that distinguishes palliative care from assisted suicide. The document underscores that palliative care seeks to alleviate suffering while respecting natural death, whereas assisted suicide intentionally ends life to relieve intolerable suffering. The paper, produced by a multidisciplinary ethics committee, calls for a clear, responsible institutional stance on the issue and highlights the ethical, clinical and legal complexities surrounding end‑of‑life choices in Italy.