Colombia

Overview

Colombia became the first Latin American country to permit medically assisted dying when its Constitutional Court decriminalized euthanasia in 1997 (Sentence C-239/97). However, access was limited in practice for many years due to lack of regulatory framework.

In 2021 the Constitutional Court expanded eligibility beyond terminal illness to include patients with serious incurable conditions causing intense suffering, even without a terminal prognosis.

Eligibility Requirements

• Patient must have an intense physical or psychological suffering from a bodily injury or serious incurable disease
• Since 2021: condition does not need to be terminal
• Request must be free, informed, unequivocal, and repeated
• Patient must be an adult with full mental capacity
• A multidisciplinary medical committee must review and approve each case
• A minimum waiting period applies after committee approval

The Process

• Patient submits a written request to their physician
• Physician refers to a Scientific-Interdisciplinary Committee for review
• Committee must respond within 10 calendar days
• If approved, the procedure must occur within 15 days
• Patient may revoke consent at any time up until the procedure

Key Organizations & Resources

• Constitutional Court of Colombia — corteconstitucional.gov.co
• Ministry of Health and Social Protection — minsalud.gov.co
• DerechosaMorir Colombia

Legal Contacts

• Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MinSalud) — Regulatory authority responsible for the clinical protocol governing euthanasia requests, and for resolving disputes between patients and insurers. minsalud.gov.co
• Constitutional Court of Colombia — Established the legal framework through Sentence C-239/97 and subsequent rulings (T-970/2014, C-233/2021). Court decisions are binding precedent for all health providers.
• Fundación Pro Derecho a Morir Dignamente (DMD Colombia) — The leading patient-advocacy organisation; provides legal guidance, advance-directive support, and assistance when requests are denied.

Medical Contacts

• MinSalud Clinical Protocol for Euthanasia — The official government-issued medical protocol that health providers must follow; available from the MinSalud website. Physicians, EPS insurers, and hospitals are legally required to comply.
• Hospital Ethics Committees (Comités Científicos Interdisciplinarios) — Oversee each euthanasia request; if a committee rejects a request, the patient may appeal to a higher committee or to MinSalud.
• Asociación Colombiana de Cuidados Paliativos — National association for palliative care physicians; a resource for patients seeking symptom management and comfort care alongside or instead of euthanasia.

Important: Contact details and eligibility requirements change. Always verify information directly with each organisation before taking any action.