“Signposts on life and death”

“Smer – The moral compass of the eternal questions.”

“This is a kulturartikel which is a part of Aftonbladet’s opinionsjournalistik.”

“Death’s borders. And life. They are in the hospital bed and förlossningssalen. In the flashing police car. In kyrkbänken. “

“But they are also around the table there. “

“Since 1985, Sweden has a medical-ethical advice, Direction. As the establishment itself is nothing more complex than something else, in every country there are governmental agencies to identify the current medical-ethical issues. What makes English unique is its composition. In no other european country, the council of a mixture of experts and politicians, which means that the processing of the ethical challenges can begin early in the parliamentary parties.”

“For those who want to follow how moral issues come and gone, and how the advances in technology, biology and medicine is constantly been broken, the question of human dignity is Smer a talking tidsspegel.”

“– From the beginning of the discussed heavy questions about life’s beginning and end. It was dödskriterier, abortion and euthanasia. “

“It says Göran univeristy of, professor of medical ethics. He has been expert in the Direction since its inception and is like 80-year-old about to begin the round of his career, including the mission of the Smer. “

“When he sums up the more than thirty years the timeline will be several things clear:”

“– In step with the genetics passed forward on a broad front after the mapping of the human genome, have questions about prenatal testing and other dilemmas that have with humanity and dignity taken place.”

“the right of the Individual to self-determine their own destiny has gotten stronger position, reflecting the värderingsförändring that happened in the whole of society”

“It does not mean that the issue of abortion has become out of date. On the contrary, was Smers latest gambit, a debate article in Dagens Nyheter on the 27th of February, about how new advances in the care of premature babies reduces the scope for late-term abortions. “

“This involves difficult ethical considerations in cases where a fetus shows signs of life after late abortion. Smer would like to see an investigation into whether today’s livsduglighetsgräns can be replaced with a fixed veckogräns.”

“The big shift over time, however, the perception of the individual.”

“– Autonomy is the major emerging theme. The individual’s right to self-determine their own destiny has gotten stronger position, reflecting the värderingsförändring that happened in the whole of society, ” says Göran univeristy of.”

“another big change is the view of reproduction. It says Barbro Westerholm, 85, member of parliament for the liberals and one of the council’s political members. “

“– When in vitro fertilization came in the 80’s I thought it was for a teknifiering. Assisted reproduction has gone from only be permitted when it comes to sperm donation today, via egg donation, where one of the parents must be the biological parent, to the perception that it is not so important. Increased knowledge and a different view of society at large, has done it from the beginning, felt technical and foreign now feels natural.”

“Both Göran univeristy of and Barbro Westerholm believe that euthanasia is the next big topic for review. The question has long been one of the most loaded.”

“– In dödshjälpsfrågan people’s feeling mostly been ”nejnejnej”. Now more and more able to decide for themselves when life is going towards its end. Add Smers annual reports from the 90’s, in 2008 and 2017, where the issue is mentioned, one sees a clear shift, ” says Barbro Westerholm.”

“Göran univeristy of notes is euthanasia, despite värderingsförskjutningen, a question where there are large differences between different groups in society. “

“– Where one can clearly see how the emerging requirement to self-determination over its life, including its end, and the classic medical principle to relieve suffering is against the principle that life is ”sacred” and that it is in any case not is the doctor’s task to help patients to die.”

“Not for nothing is it called sometimes for eugenics via the back door”

“To the cutting edge but ethically complicated progress also includes the mapping of the human genome and genredigeringen which have thus become possible. With it, one can prevent and cure disease, but also do to illness no longer passed on to future generations and, by extension, other ”improvements” of man. “

“Not for nothing is it called sometimes for eugenics via the back door.”

“It’s not just the technology that controls the discussions. In pace with the shrinking welfare provides resursfrågan more and more often rise to the ethically sensitive choices.”

“– the Whole sjukvårdspanoramat change when more people get older. As long as healthcare resources is enough for all, we have no difficult etikproblem when it comes to distribution. It is only when we don’t have the issues become urgent. Who is going to get the care, who should wait and who will take care of itself? says Göran univeristy of.”

“On april 12, released the Smer report, as a result of the efficiency standards of care, and of the much-discussed governance models that set to be able to live up to the objectives. The report presents a template for ethical analysis of different governance models.”

“To the medical-ethical issues changed is not strange. But have they become more difficult?”

“– They have always been difficult, ” says Barbro Westerholm, with a life in the social policy behind it.”

“She remembers when the first pills came in 1959. When it was prescribed to be used at the menstruationsproblem. Then grew the pressure from women who have discovered a drug that they could choose when they wanted to take on a parenting. “

“– In one pan low women’s desire for self-determination, in other low the issue of the right to hormonbehandla people year after year with the drugs.”

“Artificial intelligence, prenatal testing, and population trends. Future ethical challenges already knocking at the door. For Smer applies to both keep pace with research developments, to listen to people’s values and independently process the big moral questions. “

“As an organization is the State’s medical-ethical advice, small; three people working at the office. As a concept among the public, it is not particularly well known. But for the legislation it can have a big impact, as in how embryodonation is allowed since the first of January of this year. “

“Above all, Smer is important as one of the many zones where our collective ethical compass chiselled. “

“Göran univeristy of sees a bright future for ethics status in the public sphere.”

“– Ethics is becoming more and more integrated in the discussion. It’s not just about the state of knowledge right now, but what we want to achieve and avoid in the future. The big overall question is ”What do we want to submit for the society and world for future generations”. “