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| Article - Abstract. To view full article click on the article title. | |
eMJA: "Death talk": debating euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in Australia To the Editor: Somerville argues that Resolution 3 passed at the 2002 Australian Medical Association (AMA) Annual General Meeting "might inadvertently go well beyond" a position consistent with current ethics and law and might open a door to euthanasia.1 Resolution 3 states: . . . that the AMA support doctors whose primary intent is to relieve the suffering and distress of terminally ill patients in accordance with patients' wishes and interests, even though a foreseen secondary consequence is the hastening of death. As the mover of this resolution, I wish to comment on Somerville's arguments. Pain versus suffering: Somerville claims the phrase "to relieve their pain" does not open up the possibility of legitimating euthanasia, whereas "to relieve their suffering" does. She suggests better language would be "the relief of pain and other symptoms of serious physical distress of terminally ill patients". This argument is weakened by the fact that powerful analgesics and adjuvant pain medications can be used for euthanasia, but the methods of palliating other suffering cannot so readily be used for this purpose. Full Article: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/179_01_070703/matters_arising_070703.html |
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2006 Ethics-Governance.com |
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