Mordechai Dov Brody
Final Essay: Analysis of an Ethical Issue
Amanda Ard
4/20/17
Introduction:
Mordechai Dov Brody was a 12 year old boy. He was pronounced brain dead after he received surgery and treatment for a malignant brain tumor. His parents, Orthodox Jews say that according to their faith he is not dead until his heart stops beating. A machine inflates and deflates his lungs, however his heart continues to beat on its own thanks to a mix of intravenous drugs and adrenaline. The doctors say they have done all they can to save his life.
Thesis: .
The parents of the boy believe that a person is not dead until the heart and lungs stop functioning all together. Because of this, they wish for the hospital to continue giving medications and keep him on life support until his heart and lungs are no longer responsive. The hospital wishes to end care for the terminally ill boy saying that he is beyond a vegetative state, his body does not respond to stimulation and his brain tissue has begun to decompose. When analysing this case there are many factors to think about including Medical Indications, Patient Preferences, Quality of Life, and contextual features. As in any debate, there are also …show more content…
The doctors did all they could to help him before he became brain dead. Because his brain is no longer working, he is not in pain so extending his life would not have much effect of the quality of his life. However according to the parents it would be shortening his life, which is not improving it. The hospital already views the boy as dead, so from their standpoint, there is no longer a life to improve the quality of. By the parents definition, the hospital is actually negligent in not treating the boy any longer. He does not have much longer to live, so it seems like the hospital could just wait a few days or a few weeks and allow the parents their religious
Final Essay: Analysis of an Ethical Issue
Amanda Ard
4/20/17
Introduction:
Mordechai Dov Brody was a 12 year old boy. He was pronounced brain dead after he received surgery and treatment for a malignant brain tumor. His parents, Orthodox Jews say that according to their faith he is not dead until his heart stops beating. A machine inflates and deflates his lungs, however his heart continues to beat on its own thanks to a mix of intravenous drugs and adrenaline. The doctors say they have done all they can to save his life.
Thesis: .
The parents of the boy believe that a person is not dead until the heart and lungs stop functioning all together. Because of this, they wish for the hospital to continue giving medications and keep him on life support until his heart and lungs are no longer responsive. The hospital wishes to end care for the terminally ill boy saying that he is beyond a vegetative state, his body does not respond to stimulation and his brain tissue has begun to decompose. When analysing this case there are many factors to think about including Medical Indications, Patient Preferences, Quality of Life, and contextual features. As in any debate, there are also …show more content…
The doctors did all they could to help him before he became brain dead. Because his brain is no longer working, he is not in pain so extending his life would not have much effect of the quality of his life. However according to the parents it would be shortening his life, which is not improving it. The hospital already views the boy as dead, so from their standpoint, there is no longer a life to improve the quality of. By the parents definition, the hospital is actually negligent in not treating the boy any longer. He does not have much longer to live, so it seems like the hospital could just wait a few days or a few weeks and allow the parents their religious