The current Futile Care Theory fuss in Canada, in which a hospital wants to remove Samuel Golubchuk’s respirator and feeding tube because he is diagnosed as unconscious, seems to be playing out in the polls as favoring the family that wants their father’s life-sustaining treatment to continue. From the story in the Toronto Sun:
It appears Canadians side with a Winnipeg Orthodox Jewish family who fought in a Winnipeg courtroom yesterday to keep their father alive, according to a recent poll.
While Samuel Golubchuk’s doctors are advocating the 84-year-old be taken off life support because his vegetative condition will never improve, his family argues their religious beliefs don’t allow any action that would hasten death.
An Angus Reid poll released this week shows nearly seven in 10 Canadians think family members–not doctors or judges–should decide when to remove a vegetative patient from life support. Only 2% of the more than 1,000 people polled between Dec. 3 and 4 think the courts should decide–as will be the case for Golubchuk eventually–and 15% believe doctors should make the call.
I am not surprised. In a society that cannot agree on many basic issues of right and wrong or the value of human life, “choice” becomes the end all and be all. In Futile Care Theory controversies, “choice” cuts in favor of those who oppose unilateral withdrawal of treatment. Moreover, it reveals the hypocrisy of those who support assisted suicide in the name of autonomy, but then say choice has its limits when people want their lives sustained.
I predict that the fight over futile care theory will be long and hard-fought. It is favored by the elites in bioethics and Establishment policy thinkers as a way to save resources. But it rubs main street the wrong way–meaning the outcome of the coming brouhaha remains uncertain. However, those pushing the quality of life agenda will have a harder time.than they do usually, having sold the “choice” agenda to the public so well.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:10 am
I wasn’t surprised when I read about a families fight with Grace Hospital to keep their father alive. They are too quick to ‘pull the plug’. It nearly happened to me! I nearly died in ICU at Grace Hospital after I had been ignored for three days on the 3rd floor there after I was admitted for severe pneumonia - the nurses totally ignored me when I said I could not breath. I had pneumonia with complications. They refused to turn up my oxygen and stopped completely coming when I rang the emergency bell. By the way, I am only 51 yrs of age.
They had even recommended I be put on palliative care and left to die! Fortunately, a doctor happened to visit the man next to me one day and when he heard me struggling to breath the doctor had me sent to ICU immediately! I nearly died (A nurse told me) shortly after arriving in ICU. I was very fortunate – thank God. Fortunately the doctors gave me medicine when I was sent to HSC to see a specialist –and I’ve recovered nicely!
I have purchased a med-bracelet – guess what’s on it? If I am ever incapacitated DO NOT SEND ME TO GRACE HOSPITAL! It’s been two years now since that terrifying experience and I’m just glad to be alive
…I learned from a hospital employee of a different hospital where I was taken (Fortunately) that the ‘employees at the Grace had ‘recommended’ I be put on palliative’ care and left to die with no medical assistance in the form of drugs that could save my life. I am extremely fortunate to have been transferred from The Grace Hospital before I succumbed. I am stable now 2 yrs later and living quite well and healthy!
But I wonder how many have died needlessly in Grace Hospital in Winnipeg Manitoba?