Bioethics and Active Euthanasia in Ecuadorian Legislation: Analysis of the Autonomy of the Individual Legal Subject

Abstract

The partial decriminalization of voluntary active euthanasia in Ecuador has generated a significant shift in the legal, ethical, and healthcare framework surrounding end-of-life care. This study analyzes the legal and bioethical structure regulating the practice, identifying challenges and proposing recommendations for its responsible implementation. Using a qualitative, documentary methodology based on the review of primary sources such as the Constitution, the Comprehensive Organic Penal Code, and healthcare regulations, the study examines criteria for consent, medical diagnosis, and institutional oversight that ensure patient protection. The results highlight the establishment of the Interdisciplinary Committee, composed of medical specialists, psychologists, legal experts, bioethicists, and social representatives, as a key mechanism to validate patient autonomy and the irreversibility of suffering. It is concluded that Ecuadorian legislation achieves a balance between the inviolability of life, autonomy of will, and the right to a dignified death, establishing ethical and legal safeguards that protect both patients and healthcare professionals. Finally, the need for standardized clinical-legal protocols and clear institutional guidelines is emphasized to ensure free, informed, and ethically responsible decisions, promoting compassionate medicine that respects fundamental rights in contexts of extreme and irreversible suffering.