Dignified death

{{Short description|Ethical concept about the end of life}}

{{redirect|Dignity in dying|the UK campaigning organisation|Dignity in Dying}}

Dignified death, death with dignity, dying with dignity or dignity in dying is an ethical concept aimed at avoiding suffering and maintaining control and autonomy in the end-of-life process.{{cite journal|url=https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/39776|title=El derecho en los finales de la vida y el concepto de muerte digna|journal=Apuntes de Bioética|year=2016 |last1=Maglio |first1=Ignacio |last2=Wierzba |first2=Sandra M. |last3=Belli |first3=Laura Florencia |last4=Somers |first4=María Eugenia }} In general, it is usually treated as an extension of the concept of dignified life, in which people retain their dignity and freedom until the end of their life.{{cite web|url=https://dmd.org.co/que-es-muerte-digna/|title=¿Qué es muerte digna?|website=Fundación Pro Derecho a Morir Dignamente|access-date=2021-12-25|archive-date=2021-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125093636/https://dmd.org.co/que-es-muerte-digna/|url-status=dead}}

Although a dignified death can be natural and occur without any type of assistance, the concept is frequently associated with the right to die,{{cite journal|url=https://dycsvictoria.uat.edu.mx/index.php/dycsv/article/view/46|title=La muerte digna como un derecho humano emergente|journal=Revista DyCS Victoria|year=2020|doi=10.29059/rdycsv.v2i1.46 |last1=Villanueva Mendoza |first1=Armando |volume=2 |pages=16–27 |doi-access=free }} as well as with the defense of the legalization of practices such as voluntary euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, terminal sedation or the refusal of medical assistance.{{cite journal|url=https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-revista-calidad-asistencial-256-articulo-etica-muerte-digna-propuesta-consenso-13128649|title=Ética y muerte digna: propuesta de consenso sobre un uso correcto de las palabras|journal=Revista de Calidad Asistencial|year=2008|doi=10.1016/S1134-282X(08)75035-8 |last1=Simón Lorda |first1=Pablo |last2=Barrio Cantalejo |first2=Inés María |last3=Alarcos Martínez |first3=Francisco J. |last4=Barbero Gutiérrez |first4=Javier |last5=Couceiro |first5=Azucena |last6=Hernando Robles |first6=Pablo |volume=23 |issue=6 |pages=271–285 |pmid=23040274 }} According to its defenders, the possibility of these types of practices would be what would guarantee a dignified death, keeping free decisions until the last moment and avoiding unnecessary agony.{{cite web|url=https://derechoamorir.org/|title=Derecho a Morir Dignamente}}