How can we protect human dignity and patients’ rights when the focus of healthcare is no longer on recovery, but on quality of life and dignified care?
This important question in medical law was at the heart of Laura Kadile’s participation in the 30th Annual World Congress for Medical Law, held in Antwerp, Belgium, from 5 to 7 August.
At the Congress, Laura Kadile, Assist. Prof., PhD, presented her research, “Where Death and Life Meet: Ensuring Dignity and Respect in Palliative Care for Vulnerable Patients: The Latvian Example in Comparative Perspective”, focusing on patient autonomy, informed consent, and the protection of human dignity in palliative care.
The research also raises an important question for Latvia: does the current legal framework sufficiently address the needs of particularly vulnerable patients and their ability to express their wishes at the end of life? A comparative perspective allows Latvia’s legal framework to be assessed in the context of international practice and helps identify opportunities for more flexible approaches to informed consent, strengthening patient-centred decision-making.
Participation in international conferences of this level not only brings Latvia’s experience into the global discussion on medical law, but also brings international knowledge and emerging perspectives back to Latvia. We are proud of the work of our faculty, whose international academic engagement enriches the learning experience of our students and contributes to the broader professional and public discourse in Latvia.
Our sincere thanks to the World Association for Medical Law and Prof. Thierry Vansweevelt for the opportunity to participate in the Congress and contribute to international academic dialogue.