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Results for “Euthanasia, Passive”

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PubMed1989

Passive euthanasia in response to attempted suicide: one form of aggressiveness by relatives.

A total of 88 interviews were conducted with 40 people attempting suicide who were receiving care in an intensive-care unit, and 129 interviews were carried out with their relatives and friends. The subjects were divided into 3 diagnostic groups: neurosis (n = 14), abuse (n = 19) and psychosis (n = 7). The incidence of relatives' failure to provide care after the suicide attempt--turning-away reactions as well as do not resuscitate orders, a form of passive euthanasia--was investigated. In 8 cases, partners of patients in the abuse and neurosis groups showed turning-away reactions. In 2 cases, relatives of elderly patients in the neurosis group said to the doctor that life-preserving measures should not be taken. Relatives explained their behaviour by saying that they had the best interests of the suicidal individual at heart. In-depth interviews, however, revealed that these reactions were a manifestation of the relatives own psychic conflicts, brought forth by the confrontation with the depressed and suicidal patient. Turning-away reactions and do not resuscitate orders might be interpreted as expressing the relatives' aggressiveness towards the suicidal individual and attempts to escape from a difficult situation. It is important that doctors stand up for the interests of suicidal people, which at times may conflict with relatives' interests, and help the relatives to sort out their problems and wishes with respect to the problem areas of passive euthanasia.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1976

Passive euthanasia of defective newborn infants: legal considerations.

The recent increase in reporting of passive euthanasia of defective newborn infants has not been accompanied by extensive analysis of the legality of the practice or the appropriateness of current law. There appears to be criminal liability on several grounds for parents, physicians, nurses, and administrators. Such liability may include charges of homicide by omission, child neglect, and failure to report child neglect. Increasing public exposure of the practice increases the probability that such prosecutions may be brought. Individuals involved in such decisions should be aware of their possible legal liability. If existing legal policy is inappropriate, it sould be changed through open discussion and not subverted through private action. Two alternative policies are described: establishment of criteria for the class of infants who can be allowed to die or a better process of decision making. We conclude that a committment to process would be preferable.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

PubMed1998

The notion of "killing". Causality, intention, and motivation in active and passive euthanasia.

As a new approach to the still unsettled problem of a morally significant difference between active and passive euthanasia, the meanings of the notion of killing are distinguished on the levels of causality, intention, and motivation. This distinction allows a thorough analysis and refutation of arguments for the equality of killing and letting die which are often put forward in the euthanasia debate. Moreover, an investigation into the structure of the physician's action on those three levels yields substantial differences between the two ways of acting. As can be demonstrated, only a teleological notion of the organism is able to grasp the characteristic feature of active euthanasia. On this basis it is argued that an action against the organism as a whole must, on the interpersonal level, be at once directed against the patient as a person himself.

Attitude↗

PubMed1976