Ethics for End of Life Care Essay -- Ethics, Arguments, History

In the article Ethics for End of Life Care, Jos V.M Welie introduces the case of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo has a medical condition called PVS or â€Å"persistent vegetative state.† The main question imposed is whether or not treatment for her should be continued with a bleak chance of recovery. This directly leads into the next issue of the role that medical treatment and technology have in the final days of life. How do we decide what treatments should be used for which patients? Today, the majority of physicians agree that treatment must be â€Å"medically indicated† before it is commenced or continued. A majority of us would be skeptical of a treatment that is experimental and potentially dangerous. The second key point the article makes involves the Catholic medical ethics known as â€Å"ordinary vs. extraordinary.† Ordinary and extraordinary treatment must always be based on the patient’s current situation. Before the treatment is initiated, there must be scientific evidence that the treatment will benefit the patient. The treatment should be discontinued if it does not improve the patient’s health. Only the patient is allowed to make the decision. If they are not competent enough too, a legally authorized person is required to decide. If there is no hope left for the patient, letting go is a better alternative than euthanasia. Euthanasia conflicts with God’s view of the human body. Gula explains in his work Reason Informed by Faith, that there has been a significant renewal in Roman Catholic moral theology. There has been a shift from the idea of human nature to that of the human person. The human body is seen as an image of God and therefore, is considered sacred. The human body must abide by the laws of the material world around it. Be... ...s. Although it was questionable if he was able to even make a decision, he was rarely, if at all approached by the doctor about it. Death is inevitable from a Christian perspective, but it is not the end. People struggle with death I believe because they are afraid of the unknown. What comes after death? Is there really an afterlife? Will I be rewarded or punished for my time on Earth? I consider that the best way to die is to be surrounded and comforted by my family and friends. The idea of a planned death just seems so unnatural. That is why I believe that euthanasia should not be legal. The hospital should perform the treatments that will actually help the patients recover. If no treatment is appropriate enough, the physician should not have to resort to assisting the patient in death. God intended death to be a natural cause, and it should remain that way.