Ethics in Medicine

Joyce Wong

Professor Silvers

Phil 389

18 March 2012

Report

First Case: Roosevelt Dawson

Second Case: An unnamed baby girl less than ten hours old

For both cases, we are dealing with patients who are physically disabled. However, for first case, as Dawson's family and social worker believes that he intends to seek assistance in killing himself, therefore, we are dealing with a case which the patient is seeking a mean to end his life. For the second case, the patient's parent would like the physicians to stop providing nourishment to her baby, as the baby has anomalies of the mouth and throat, and she is physically disabled with no arms or legs.

As the court order has prevented Dawson's release from the hospital, we may receive a request from the patient to practice euthanasia. The euthanasia will be voluntary if Dawson made such request, but we also have to make sure that he makes this decision with a mentally sound mind. Nevertheless, though the patient's will should be respected, under California's legal system, it is illegal for physicians to assist the patient in killing himself.

Regardless to the fact that assisted suicide is illegal, we should be acknowledged that Dawson wants to end his life rather than continue until his body finally gives up because he is in intractable pain and experiences an intolerably poor quality of life as a result of his disability. Suicide is a legal act that is theoretically available to all, but a person who is in hospital setting is disallowed to exercise this option. In effect, while others are given the access to commit suicide, Dawson is being discriminated against if he was prevented from exercising this option,

Even we believe that Dawson would like to end his life, we should consider whether he is self-competent enough --"of sound mind" when making such decision. In some situations, people wish to die because they are suffering from clinical depression; whereas they would want to continue with their life when...