Skip to main content
Log in

The right to die at the end of your life

  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Missouri case of Nancy Cruzan brings into sharp focus the medical ethics issue of the right to privacy. It also raises the need for definition of life ranging from cellular to personal. What is it about forced feeding that transforms it into an extraordinary means of nonfunctional treatment? There is the question of balancing benefit and cost (whether personal or financial). Currently we are confronted by the problem of balancing human rights violations against efforts to be “helpful” by the use of heroic medical measures, all of this against the background of ever-changing medical technology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cruzan v. Harmon, Estate No. CV384-9P, slip op. (Cir. Ct., Jasper Co., Mo.), July 27, 1988.

  2. Cruzan v. Harmon, Mo.Sup.Ct., No. 70813, 11/16/88; 57LW2324, 12/6/88.

  3. Cruzan v. Harmon, Estate No. CV384-9P, slip op.,op. cit., p. 4.

  4. 195 Cal-App. 3d 1075, (Oct. 29, 1987) Elizabeth Bouvia, Plaintiff v. County of Los Angeles,et al., p. 5.

  5. Ibid.

  6. Kane, F. I., “Keeping Elizabeth Bouvia Alive for the Public Good,”Hastings Center Report, 1985,15, 6.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Annas, G. J., “When Suicide Prevention Becomes Brutality: The Case of Elizabeth Bouvia,”Hastings Center Report, 1984,14, 2, 46.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Matthew 10:28.

  9. Baby Jane Doe, 476 US610 (1986) p. 610 ff.

  10. United States of America, Plaintiff, v. University Hospital of the State of New York at Stony Brook, Defendant, Parents of Baby Jane Doe, Intervenor Defendants. U.S. District Court, E. D., New York, Long Island District, Nov. 17, 1983.

  11. 476 US610 (1986), p. 610.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Belgum, D. The right to die at the end of your life. J Relig Health 29, 125–137 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986407

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986407

Keywords

Navigation