| The case of Samuel Golubchuk and the right to live. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20229421 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Samuel Golubchuk was unwittingly at the center of a medical controversy with important ethical ramifications. Mr. Golubchuk, an 84-year-old patient whose precise neurological level of function was open to debate, was being artificially ventilated and fed by a gastrostomy tube prior to his death. According to all reports he was neither brain dead nor in a vegetative state. The physicians directly responsible for his care had requested that they be allowed to remove the patient from life support against the wishes of the patient's family. Concurrently the Manitoba College of Physicians and Surgeons released a statement which states that the final decision to withdraw life support lies with the physician. In our opinion the statement is ethically problematic for a number of reasons. 1. It is an affront to the guiding principles of Western medical ethics: patient autonomy and human freedom. 2. The position of Samuel Golubchuk's physicians and the new statement lack cultural sensitivity towards other traditions. 3. In modern society there exists an erosion of a basic attitude towards the value of life. 4. The ability of physicians to predict life expectancy in terminally ill patients has been shown repeatedly to be quite limited. |
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Authors:
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Alan Jotkowitz; Shimon Glick; Ari Z Zivotofsky |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Case Reports; Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: The American journal of bioethics : AJOB Volume: 10 ISSN: 1536-0075 ISO Abbreviation: Am J Bioeth Publication Date: 2010 Mar |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2010-03-15 Completed Date: 2010-04-06 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 100898738 Medline TA: Am J Bioeth Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 50-3 Citation Subset: E; IM |
Affiliation:
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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. ajotkowitz@hotmail.com |
Export Citation:
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APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Aged, 80 and over Canada Choice Behavior / ethics Cultural Characteristics Decision Making / ethics* Dissent and Disputes* Enteral Nutrition / ethics Ethics, Clinical Ethics, Medical Freedom* Health Care Rationing / ethics Humans Jews* Life Expectancy Life Support Care / ethics* Male Manitoba Medical Futility / ethics* Persistent Vegetative State Personal Autonomy* Physician's Role Practice Guidelines as Topic Societies, Medical Terminal Care / ethics*, methods Terminally Ill Value of Life* Withholding Treatment / ethics* |
| Comments/Corrections | |
Comment In:
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Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):69-70
[PMID:
20229430
]
Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):W6-7 [PMID: 20229404 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):54-6 [PMID: 20229422 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):58-9 [PMID: 20229424 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):65-6 [PMID: 20229428 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):59-61 [PMID: 20229425 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):67-8 [PMID: 20229429 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):64-5 [PMID: 20229427 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):61-3 [PMID: 20229426 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):71-3 [PMID: 20229431 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):73-4 [PMID: 20229432 ] Am J Bioeth. 2010 Mar;10(3):56-7 [PMID: 20229423 ] |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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