Comments on: Does Italy have its own “Terry Schiavo case”? http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2007/10/24/does-italy-have-its-own-terry-schiavo-case/ Religion, faith and ethics Sun, 19 May 2013 03:31:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Bill http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2007/10/24/does-italy-have-its-own-terry-schiavo-case/comment-page-1/#comment-383 Bill Sat, 24 Nov 2007 01:04:46 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2007/10/24/does-italy-have-its-own-terry-schiavo-case/#comment-383 I don't know if the writer meant to juxtapose their sentences as they did, but removing a respirator from a patient who is able to request it be removed would not be assisted suicide under any U.S. law. Federal court decisions like Cruzan in the U.S. have made clear that even feeding tubes are medical treatment that can be refused by the patient or removed on the patient's request, or removed under the conditions of an advanced directive if the patient is unable to communicate. State laws in the U.S., however, differ on whether oral statements are sufficient to remove medical treatment (that's why Schiavo was litigated) I don’t know if the writer meant to juxtapose their sentences as they did, but removing a respirator from a patient who is able to request it be removed would not be assisted suicide under any U.S. law.

Federal court decisions like Cruzan in the U.S. have made clear that even feeding tubes are medical treatment that can be refused by the patient or removed on the patient’s request, or removed under the conditions of an advanced directive if the patient is unable to communicate.

State laws in the U.S., however, differ on whether oral statements are sufficient to remove medical treatment (that’s why Schiavo was litigated)

]]> By: Yvonne http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2007/10/24/does-italy-have-its-own-terry-schiavo-case/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Yvonne Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:27:57 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2007/10/24/does-italy-have-its-own-terry-schiavo-case/#comment-31 This world is demented! Years ago, before heroic measures to support a body not breathing on its own , this woman would have expired naturally! HOW can the pope and his minions demand that a family continue nursing this vegetative human after fifteen years of misery . My brother -in-law just died this week after a week of respiratory support never brought him out of a comatose state that ensued after a cardiac arrest...and a catscan determined ...twice...that he was entirely brain dead and not breathing on his own for an entire day. Surely this Italian case can be determined on the merits of these points.Why are they feeding and oxygenating a carcass for fifteen years. I'd have pulled that feeding tube a long time ago and said it happened accidentally.This is an absolutely inhumane situation for the survivors Yvonne Le Fort Ontario ,Canada This world is demented! Years ago, before heroic measures to support a body not breathing on its own , this woman would have expired naturally! HOW can the pope and his minions demand that a family continue nursing this vegetative human after fifteen years of misery . My brother -in-law just died this week after a week of respiratory support never brought him out of a comatose state that ensued after a cardiac arrest…and a catscan determined …twice…that he was entirely brain dead and not breathing on his own for an entire day. Surely this Italian case can be determined on the merits of these points.Why are they feeding and oxygenating a carcass for fifteen years. I’d have pulled that feeding tube a long time ago and said it happened accidentally.This is an absolutely inhumane situation for the survivors

Yvonne Le Fort
Ontario ,Canada

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