Philip Howard, a London gastroenterology consultant, said that he would not withdraw or withhold artificial nutrition and hydration even when it was specified in an advance decision.It is very good to see such senior figures in the medical world speaking such good sense.
"No patient should die as a result of dehydration and no patient should be allowed to die in a state of unrelieved thirst," he insisted. "It is my practice never to allow a patient to die of unremitting thirst."
Dr Howard added that a number of his colleagues had made clear "deep concern that patients may be dehydrated at the end of their lives".
Consultant geriatric psychiatrist Adrian Treloar said: "If I am asked, will I kill a patient under the Mental Capacity Act? the answer is 'no'.
"People who make living wills or support the idea should ask themselves if they really want a doctor to stop treating them or would they rely on that doctor risking a jail sentence?"
Saturday, 31 March 2007
Publicity for pro-life stand against euthanasia
Edmund put me on to a good article in yesterday's Daily Mail in advance of the Mental Capacity Act coming into force this Palm Sunday. The article is headed, We'll fight backdoor euthanasia and risk jail say doctors and it is good to see two senior doctors quoted:
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7 comments:
Count me in!
Dr P
So, now we need to put all the Catholic doctors together, and make sure that, when we become ill, we end up in their hospital...
If the NHS were filled with Doctors, Nurses and Carers the calibre of Drs Howard and Treloar what a fantastic health service we would have in this Country.
I am not taking anything away from the many good Doctors and Nurses already hard at work in our surgeries and hospitals, just pondering at what could be if only.....
God Bless all our medics in the UK and help them understand the true meaning of the Sanctity of Life from natural conception to natural death.
A Catholic hospital would be a rather nice thing. And John and Lizzie's doesn't count as it's so dodgey - the countries leading sex change hospital.
Please can i go on Dr Adrian Treloars' list please?
May I ask a question?
(Bear in mind that I am from the US, so English is not my native language...)
What in the world is "artificial nutrition and hydration"?
Is that the way laws regarding this crime that the forces of darkness are promoting are worded?
Surely ALL of us use "artifical nutrition" to some extent (although the American diet is probably worse than yours in this regard, so much processed food...)
I heard Dr. Howard speak last year at a conference for medical students with the infamous Joee Bloggs. He is an inspiration to me and any Catholic medical student that is faithful to the Hippocratic Oath and magesterium.
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