[neverdem]

The wishes of the patient will become less relevant as medicine becomes more socialized.

[Paleo Conservative]

Burke' fears are, quite rationally, based on current international legal and bioethical trends.

Well that means the US Supreme Court will force it down our throats too.

[Asclepius]

Given that the courts increasingly reflect the views of the elites rather than the people, this tactic seems a good bet to succeed.

Alas.

[Servant of the 9]

If the hospital is publicly owned, the solution is political.
If it is privately owned, then neither it nor the Doctors involved have any 'duty' to perform any action they don't want to perform.

If you have the money, you can find someone qualified and willing to treat you. If you don't have money, and that includes insurance, that is unfortunate, but not my problem.

So9

[ellery]

BTTTT

[Uncle Sausage]

And yet, Mr. Burke will still die.

[neverdem]

PING

[NonValueAdded]

Note the concern about receiving the "Terri treatment." This is excellent evidence to cite when explaining that Terri's case has impact upon us all. Just think forward when the inevitable meltdown of Medicare and Social Security occurs and it is considered "not cost effective" to provide "medical treatment" like "food and water" [an absurd proposition] to the terminally ill with "old age" considered a terminal condition.

[cyborg]

Is the Hippocratic Oath taken seriously anymore?

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.
Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Cacique]

This is the inevitable consequence of accepting abortion and the concept that individuals in conjunction with the state can determine by fiat when life begins and by logical extension when it ends.

It is no accident that Margaret Sanger who promoted abortion was also a major proponent of euthanasia. Hitler was a great fan and admirer of her ideas. Thus he pushed for euthanasia laws in germany in the 30's. We are coming full circle to this now albeit slower. The day will come when society (the elites that lead it, that is) decides that entire groups will be unfit to live in society. This how far we have come and where we are headed.

[brooklin]

I would like to agree with all that are on this thread, but have they all had a parent with ms- quadradplegic.-, on the ventilator, with tube feeding, and going through the sixth or seventh bout of pneumonia. It's pretty easy to say we shouldn't end a life, but think about if it's your own loved one in that situation. Is this what they were? Should they continue to suffer because it is too hard for us to let go?
It's not a decision that I would wish for anyone to have to make.

[supercat]

Futile Care Theory may be coming to America.

Actually, what needs to be reinforced is that while it's proper to withhold care that is futile, such a designation should not be applied to care which achieves the medical objective ascribed to such care but does not solve other problems.

The purpose of giving someone food is to prevent starvation. If a person's condition is such that either (1) giving the patient food will not stave off starvation (e.g. because they are unable to digest it), or (2) not giving the patient food will not cause starvation, then withholding food could be quite proper (with the caveat that if conditions change so that neither (1) not (2) applies anymore, then food should be given).

If a patient is dying of cancer or some other ailment, and it is apparent that they're going to die of some other cause before they succomb to starvation or dehydration, then it may be proper to withhold food and water unless or until they survive long enough that startvation or dehydration becomes imminent. There's a big difference between that, though, and deciding that giving food and water is futile for anyone who won't lead a suitable "productive" life. Unfortunately, things seem to be shifting toward the latter interpretation of "futility".