Problem
Scott is a physician in charge of many terminally ill patients, including Sarah. Sarah has a motor neuron disease commonly known as ALS. Sarah has asked Scott for a drug that will reduce her pain but will shorten her life. Should Scott listen to Sarah and administer the drug, provide the standard care for patients with a terminal illness by not administering the drug, or pass Sarah and the decision off to another doctor?
Input
Scott, a medical doctor, is overseeing the care of a woman, Sarah. Sarah has a motor neuron disease commonly known as ALS. She was diagnosed with this disease five years ago and it normally kills a patient after four years. For this disease, death is brought on via suffocation due to the inability of the inspiratory muscles to contract. Sarah has written down her …show more content…
However, the side effect for diamorphine is that for people with Sarah’s condition, it will shorten their lifespans. Sarah’s condition has now taken a dramatic turn and she has fallen extremely ill. Sarah was not expected to live through the month prior to taking a turn for the worse. Scott is now faced with the dilemma of providing Sarah an extended but painful life or, as she requested, a shortened but pain-free one. If Scott is to administer the drug, it is at this point in time. The ethical dilemma in Scott’s decision is known as euthanasia. Euthanasia, as defined by Santa Clara University, is “the act of ending the life of a person suffering from either a terminal illness, or an incurable disease” (Santa Clara University, 2005). Currently, euthanasia is legal in Oregon under the “Death With Dignity Act,” but illegal in all other states in the United States and discouraged by the American Medical Association. Society is split on the decision. Proponents say that individuals like Sarah, have a right to die in peace, whereas antagonists believe that euthanasia devalues human life and gives too much power to doctors (British Broadcasting Company, 2014).
Scott is a physician in charge of many terminally ill patients, including Sarah. Sarah has a motor neuron disease commonly known as ALS. Sarah has asked Scott for a drug that will reduce her pain but will shorten her life. Should Scott listen to Sarah and administer the drug, provide the standard care for patients with a terminal illness by not administering the drug, or pass Sarah and the decision off to another doctor?
Input
Scott, a medical doctor, is overseeing the care of a woman, Sarah. Sarah has a motor neuron disease commonly known as ALS. She was diagnosed with this disease five years ago and it normally kills a patient after four years. For this disease, death is brought on via suffocation due to the inability of the inspiratory muscles to contract. Sarah has written down her …show more content…
However, the side effect for diamorphine is that for people with Sarah’s condition, it will shorten their lifespans. Sarah’s condition has now taken a dramatic turn and she has fallen extremely ill. Sarah was not expected to live through the month prior to taking a turn for the worse. Scott is now faced with the dilemma of providing Sarah an extended but painful life or, as she requested, a shortened but pain-free one. If Scott is to administer the drug, it is at this point in time. The ethical dilemma in Scott’s decision is known as euthanasia. Euthanasia, as defined by Santa Clara University, is “the act of ending the life of a person suffering from either a terminal illness, or an incurable disease” (Santa Clara University, 2005). Currently, euthanasia is legal in Oregon under the “Death With Dignity Act,” but illegal in all other states in the United States and discouraged by the American Medical Association. Society is split on the decision. Proponents say that individuals like Sarah, have a right to die in peace, whereas antagonists believe that euthanasia devalues human life and gives too much power to doctors (British Broadcasting Company, 2014).