Please select the category that most closely reflects your concern about this content,
so that we can review it and determine whether it violates Civility 101 or isn't
appropriate for some other reason.
Abusing this feature is also a violation of Civility 101.
Explanation:
With names like Dr. Jack Kevorkian and Terri Schiavo making international headlines during the past few years, the complicated subject of euthanasia remains on everyone's mind. But when considering the plight of the terminally ill and their potential suffering, is "pulling the plug" a matter of dying with dignity or tragically playing God?
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008-2010 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
Mitigate Pain
Pain Medication Insufficient
While oftentimes the proper approach to a dying person is to “alleviate pain, provide comfort and share one’s self in every was possible so that they dying person is never isolated,” as the American Life League states, sometimes this is not effective. In fact, according to Susan Tolle, director of the Ethics Center at the Oregon Health Sciences University, at least two thirds of dying patients do not get adequate pain medication. This is partially due to the fact that doctors are concerned about potential addiction to the drug, but this is clearly not an issue with patients who are not long for this world, anyway. Nevertheless, doctors have a difficult time transitioning to the state of mind where addiction is not a concern.* So many patients do not get adequate pain medication when they are suffering from a terminal illness; it cannot be relied on as a means by which to make the patient's last days happy or even tolerable.
What’s more, pain alone is often not the only reason a person may wish to end their life. The loss of dignity and economical reasons may also play a big part in their decision.
*Kathleen M. Foley, M.D., “The Relationship of Pain and Symptom Management to Patient Requests for Physician Assisted Suicide,” Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (July 1991), pp. 289-297.
- Yesterday
March 1, 2009 8:11PM
Reply to this Recommend
(0)
Side: Yes
Thank You for your Comment
We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.