Abstract
The five different scenarios presented in this chapter each raise issues on the periphery of decisions about death. Some individuals whose imminent death may be inevitable want to devote resources to preventing it; others whose death can be prevented wish to refuse the use of interventions that will delay it. Definitions of life and death are implicated, as are issues of quality of life, and using resources with little prospect of gain. Participants are asked to analyze the scenarios in the context of the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. At the same time, participants will need to consider the hypothetical cases in the context of cost-benefit analysis and in the context of the competing interests that may be present. The scenarios raise difficult emotional issues, but require decisionmakers to consider all of the options.
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Vukadinovich, D.M., Krinsky, S.L. (2001). The Rights to Refuse and Demand Medical Treatment. In: Ethics and Law in Modern Medicine. International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9674-9_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9674-9_5
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