Oh, dear

It seems Italy just wrapped up their own version of the Terri Schiavo case. From BBC News:

Eluana Englaro, the Italian woman at the centre of a right-to-die debate, has died, the health minister has said.

Maurizio Sacconi made the announcement in Italy’s Senate as politicians were debating a law that would have forced doctors to continue feeding her.

Ms Englaro, 38, had been in a persistent vegetative state since being injured in a car crash in 1992.

…Ms Englaro’s father, Beppino, had been battling with the courts in Italy to let his daughter die since 1999, insisting it was her wish.

It’s still a sad story. People so obsessed with their own outlook on life that they assume everyone else must share it, and worse that it’s appropriate to legally mandate it. But that’s old news. Rather than rehash it, I’d like to call your attention to this choice bit at the end of the BBC article.

Italy does not allow euthanasia. Patients have a right to refuse treatment, but they are not allowed to give advance directions on the treatment they wish to receive if they become unconscious.

Are. You. Kidding. Me. They agree with the principle that patients should be legally able to refuse treatment. They’re just not okay with allowing those patients to put that refusal down on paper, to remove ambiguity. In other words, patients have the right to refuse treatment, except for the vast majority of cases in which patients might want to refuse treatment.

Oh, dear.

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February 10, 2009 · Written by
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Comments

One Response to “Oh, dear”

  1. badrescher Identicon Icon badrescher on February 11th, 2009 11:34 am

    People have the right to refuse treatment, except when that right infringes on the rights of others to make those decisions for them.

    It’s a shame. I hope science is able to settle these issues at some point.

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