CUHK Centre for Bioethics & Hong Kong Bioethics Association Joint Distinguished Bioethics Seminar - Regulating Physician-Assisted Suicide Solely Based on Autonomy: The General Citizen’s Right to Receive Assistance in Suicide in Germany

Seminar Recap: Regulating Physician-Assisted Suicide in Germany

On 12 February 2026, the CUHK Centre for Bioethics and the Hong Kong Bioethics Association co-hosted a Distinguished Bioethics Seminar featuring Professor Jochen Vollmann, Director of the Institute for Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, who spoke on “Regulating Physician-Assisted Suicide Solely Based on Autonomy: The General Citizen’s Right to Receive Assistance in Suicide in Germany.”

Dr. Ann Lau, Co-Director of the CUHK Centre for Bioethics and Chair of the Hong Kong Bioethics Association, opened the seminar by underscoring the topic’s ethical significance and its relevance to Hong Kong’s ongoing end-of-life policy discussions.

Professor Vollmann examined Germany’s 2020 Constitutional Court ruling, which affirms a right to assisted suicide grounded entirely in personal autonomy, without requiring terminal illness or suffering. As Germany develops new legislation, this autonomy-based framework continues to spark debate.

A panel discussion moderated by Professor Roger Chung, Co-Director of our Centre and Vice-Chair of the Hong Kong Bioethics Association followed, with contributions from Professor Jean Kim and Dr. Derrick Au. The panel offered comparative perspectives from public health and clinical ethics, highlighting the interplay between individual autonomy and professional duty. An engaging Q&A session concluded the session.

Closing the event, Professor Roger Chung expressed sincere gratitude to participants and emphasized the importance of continued dialogue.

The CUHK Centre for Bioethics remains dedicated to fostering space for these vital conversations. We look forward to seeing you at future events.

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How far should the right to personal autonomy go? At the heart of Germany’s pivotal bioethics debate is whether citizens have a general right to receive assistance in suicide (a type of euthanasia), and if autonomy alone should guide its regulation.

Join us for the next Distinguished Bioethics Seminar, jointly organized by the CUHK Centre for Bioethics and the Hong Kong Bioethics Association.

We are honoured to host Professor Jochen VOLLMANN (Ruhr University Bochum, Germany), who will present on:
Regulating Physician-Assisted Suicide Solely Based On Autonomy: The General Citizen’s Right to Receive Assistance In Suicide In Germany.

Why should you join?

➢ Gain in-depth insight into Germany’s autonomy-led regulatory approach and its ethical-legal implications.
➢ Engage with comparative perspectives from discussants Professor Jean H. KIM and Dr. Derrick AU, moderated by Professor Roger CHUNG.
➢ Contribute to a structured dialogue that bridges European and Hong Kong viewpoints in bioethics.