¶ … right to terminate artificial life-Support system a practical condition on the successful practice of medicine?
Terminating artificial life support is often viewed as being qualitatively and ethically different from physician-assisted suicide or aid-in-dying. Withholding treatment is sometimes referred to as passive euthanasia (Steinbock, 2015). When in a fully cognizant, possibly healthy state of mind a patient had provided express written directives that artificial life support be withdrawn under certain specific conditions (also known as an advance directive), physicians may withdraw the life support if those conditions had been met.
Unfortunately, most cases of patients on life support are less clear-cut. The right to terminate artificial life support should not be one taken lightly, as insurers could too easily abuse their power by mandating the termination of life support in some situations in order to save money. On the other hand, terminating artificial life-support makes sense in cases like that of Terry Schiavo, for whom a full recovery was deemed practically impossible. Extending life support in cases like these only extends the emotional, mental, and psychological burdens faced by the family members. In situations where a patient is on artificial life support, the physician should be competent enough to determine whether or not recovery would be possible and if so, how possible.
The practice of medicine can still be considered "successful" even if a patient dies. A medical team may have done everything within its power to provide care, support, and intervention. Artificial life support is occasionally a temporary intervention, but when it becomes...
(Foley, 54; Braddock and Tonnelli). This again, is an argument based more on conjecture rather than solid evidence. While it is true that depression may accompany many serious and terminal diseases and there are anecdotes about patients who changed their minds about suicide after treatment; no credible studies are available about how often it happens or even if antidepressant treatment would make patients requesting death, change their minds. (Angell,
Physician-Assisted Suicide: The Kantian View Thanks to modern developments in medical technology, people in advanced countries today live longer and stay healthy until they are relatively older. The technology, however, also allows some people to hasten their death and make it relatively pain-free. As a result, many patients suffering from unbearable pain of certain incurable illnesses from time to time ask their physicians to help them commit suicide. Any physician who
Physician-Assisted Suicide Should it be permissible for one to take his life? Previously and now in many cultures, suicide has been considered as a best option in some certain situations of life. For example, in flashback we see Cato the Younger took away his life instead of living under Caesar. For stoics, suicide was a preferred and rational act and there was nothing immoral in suicide instead it was a best option
Physician-Assisted Suicide, And Active Euthanasia In Favor of the Moral Permissibility of Active Physician-Assisted Suicide According to Mappes and DeGrazia, Brock's support for voluntary active euthanasia is largely based on two ethical values that he regards fundamental (402). The values in this case include the well-being of an individual and individual autonomy or self-determination. Self-determination according to Brock has got to do with letting individuals chart their own destiny, that is, allowing
In an article in the British journal Lancet, the doctor stated that he liked Helen right off the bat, and then issued this statement: The thought of Helen dying so soon was almost too much to bear… on the other hand, I found even worse the thought of disappointing this family. If I backed out, they'd feel about me the way they had about their previous doctor, that I had
Physician-Assisted Suicide Every person has basic rights to their own health and well-being. However, during tough times when an individual is suffering dramatically, there are ethical concerns whether or not they should be allowed to commit suicide with no other options. Although this is a patients' right to autonomy, it becomes unethical for a physician to assist in such demands, as physicians have a moral obligation to perform with beneficence and
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now