Open Lecture | Autonomy, Protection, and Dignity at the End of Life
Within the framework of the course Health Law, Católica Medical School is hosting an Open Lecture dedicated to the legal and ethical dimensions of end-of-life care in medical practice.
The session will focus on the topic “Autonomy, Protection and Dignity at the End of Life: Legal and Ethical Implications for Medical Practice”.
This lecture is part of the course curriculum and aims to deepen understanding of the Portuguese legal framework applicable to end-of-life decisions, promoting critical reflection on the relationship between Law, Ethics and clinical practice.
Among others, the following relevant legal instruments will be analysed:
- Law no. 25/2012 – Advance Directives and the National Living Will Registry (RENTEV);
- Law no. 52/2012 – Basic Law on Palliative Care;
- Law no. 31/2018 – Rights of Persons in Advanced Illness and at the End of Life;
- Law no. 49/2018 – Legal Framework for Accompanied Adults;
- Law no. 7/2026, of February 25 – Statute of the Elderly Person.
The session will address these topics in light of the concrete challenges faced by healthcare professionals, particularly regarding clinical decision-making, the protection of vulnerable individuals, and respect for human dignity.
Moderation:
– Mara de Sousa Freitas – Coordinator of the Health Law course
Free entry | Open to the academic community
These Open Lectures aim to bring students closer to the legal and ethical realities that frame contemporary medicine, contributing to the education of healthcare professionals who are technically competent, legally informed and ethically responsible.