It has been of interest to me that the topics we have tackled as members of Harvard's Community Ethics Committee have tracked pretty consistently with what is going on "out in the world" as reflected by the press. When we reviewed organ donation on cardiac death, there were NYTimes articles on that very topic. When we talked about CPR and whether it is an advisable treatment option in every situation of cardiac arrest, lo and behold, articles appeared in the press discussing that very topic!! And now, simultaneously with our wrestling with the topic of Palliative Sedation, the Massachusetts legislature is taking up end-of-life decision-making!! I thought you might want to know!! Here's an NECN piece on it that aired Monday -
http://www.necn.com/02/22/10/Right-to-die-battle-on-Beacon-Hill/landing_newengland.html?blockID=184909&feedID=4215
What do you think??
Best -
Carol
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It will be interesting, as this legislation progresses, to see what clarity the state gives to the term "terminal" -- that is, does terminal mean the prognosis is for days, weeks, months? I think that sort of definitional clarity will at least help to address the "slippery slope" concern that underlies some opposition. I will also be interested to see how the state addresses the question of how this "right" applies to the incompetent.
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