The Right to Die?

[Peeps Mcarthur]

By LydiaGreen

in 1990, 6000 patients were euthanized against their own wishes.

How did the group putting the stats together decide that it was "against the person's wishes".

Or is it just that they had no living will.

Either way it sounds like a spin-doctor and not a medical DR:chuckle

[Peeps Mcarthur]

Oh yea, one more

Do you remember what the study was called so I can research it?

Thanks Lydia

[DoctorRN]

It is a sad state of affairs when you will put your dog to sleep so it doesn't suffer but will put your grandmother through the most horrendous medical treatments to keep her alive.

[cardiacnrs]

I have been in the medical field for more than half of my life and have seen things that would curl your toes.

But keeping someone alive who can no longer function and relies on a breathing machine to sustain life is not living.

In the LTAC I work at we have done a lot of comfort measures. We get these train wrecks in and some we have been able to help and sent them home to continue living a full life and some who will never recover. Well, those are the ones that the family wants everything done. "Spare no cost and keep them alive". Our Doctors are the best and they have no problem being up front with the families and telling them how things are.

The worst thing is when they bring in a MPA or Living Will and expect us to go against them. It is very difficult and a legal liability everytime. The pt has made their wishes known and the family still goes against it.

I have made my wishes known to my family and expect them to stand by them. I will come back and haunt them otherwise. lol

[LydiaGreen]

The study was called "The Remmelink Report" and was released in 1991.

[Peeps Mcarthur]

Thanks Lydia:)

[Peeps Mcarthur]

In 45% of cases involving hospitalized patients who were involuntarily euthanized, the patients' families had no knowledge that their loved ones' lives were deliberately terminated by doctors. (18)

From a source other than the actual report

I find this kind of statement completely unbelievable.............as in "not". Where were the families anyway? Out on smoke break?

Did the doc just sneak in and turn up the rate on the drip to get that ol' cancer patient out of the way before lunch?

Involuntary euthanasia is not condoned under the Dutch guidelines so it isn't legal. There may be a problem with some loopholes being exploited to give some dying patients a peacful death, but I find it hard to believe that doctors are just whacking patients willey-nilley without a mention to the family.

When I see a "report" that has no balance of pro and con, I get suspicious.

Maybe it's just that I can't imagine such a healthcare system. That's pretty weird.

I didn't see any English copies of the original report or have time to do a backround check on the author(s).