This week I am writing about another ethical court case I read about! The case involves a Muslim patient with severe brain damage.
After many weeks the court has now ruled that the hospital trust in question can legally with hold life-saving treatment if his condition deteriorates. The decision was reached largely due to the unanimous medical opinion that resuscitation would not prolong life "in any meaningful way" and it is therefore not in the best interest of the patient to intervene should things deteriorate.
The case is understandably complex, such a decision is something no one would want to hear about a loved one, however there is added complexity in this case. As well as the family's wishes the patient is a Muslim and such an act would go against the Muslim faith. According to the family everything must be done to prolong life "until God takes it away." According to the Quran "Muslims cannot kill, or be complicit in the killing of another, except in the interests of justice."
However the Islamic code of medical ethics states that "..it is the process of life that the doctor aims to maintain and not the process of dying."
Does this mean doctors can stop attempting to prolong a patient's life if there is no hope of a cure?
No comments:
Post a Comment