Many hospitals ended life support

The Yomiuri Shimbun

As many as 56 percent of hospitals across the country have either stopped or refrained from giving life-prolonging treatment to patients that suffered terminal diseases, according to the findings of a survey of medical institutions conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The survey found that doctors have removed artificial respirators or did not use such devices at all when they believed patients had a remote chance of recovering.

It was discovered in March that the removal of artificial respirators resulted in the death of seven patients at Imizu City Hospital in Toyama Prefecture, but the survey has also brought to light that similar practices have been occurring across the country.

Doctors are divided, however, over the appropriateness of such practices.

Assisted by the National Institute of Public Health, the Yomiuri sent questionnaires about life-sustaining treatment to about 600 randomly selected hospitals with at least 100 beds each and 85 advanced treatment hospitals, including university hospitals, between May and June.

As a result, 134 of the 240 hospitals that gave valid answers said they had stopped or refrained from giving life-prolonging treatment. Of those that said they had done so, 71 percent, said they had either not hooked up terminal patients to artificial respirators or had removed such devices.

The hospitals were not asked to state whether they had ever removed artificial respirators, but many hospitals said they had done so, revealing that what happened at Imizu City Hospital was not an isolated case.

Seventy percent of respondents said they had either ceased giving drugs or reduced doses of drugs, including vasopressors and antibody agents, which help patients survive longer. Thirty-five percent said they had stopped blood transfusions and 34 percent said they had halted dialysis treatment.

Three percent of the respondents said they had stopped all medical treatment, including the use of artificial respirators.

Eighty-nine percent reported that the wishes of patients' family members were considered when making a decision not to continue life-supporting treatment, and 70 percent said their decisions were based on medical judgement. Respondents were able to give more than one answer.

At 46 percent, individual doctors topped others in making decisions to terminate treatment, followed by medical teams at 37 percent. Only 4 percent of respondents said an in-house ethics committee made such decisions to ensure procedural transparency.

Twenty-six percent said the practice was legally questionable and a similar number said that while the practice was legally questionable, it was correct medical treatment.

Twenty percent of the respondents said there was nothing wrong with the practice.

As such, more than 70 percent of the respondents said national rules were needed to govern the care of people with a terminal illness, including the suspension of life-prolonging treatment and 60 percent called for government guidelines.

(Jul. 31, 2006)

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While this article could be interpreted in many ways and can be used as a conduit to discuss a variety of issues, some further information on euthanasia is provided below.

Dave

Further information

1. www.abortionfacts.com/euthanasia/euthanasia.asp
   (mostly anti-euthanasia and anti-abotion)
   
   

   Euthanasia:
   A complete documented look at euthanasia with examples, medical opinions, facts and graphs.
   Dr. Kovorkian
   A look at his past and his arguments
   Where and When was Euthanasia First Legalized?
   A historical look at the progression of euthanasia laws.
   Holland's Euthanasia Laws:
   A look at what has happened in a country where euthanasia was legalized.
   Why Not Let Me Die with Dignity?
   A discussion of what dying with dignity now means.
   But What about Uncontrollable Pain?
   A discussion of how pain should not be a cause of death.
   Is Life Always Preferable to Death?
   A look at a study that asks those who are chronically ill if they would like to die.
   What if They Have to Feed Me Through a Tube?
   A consideration of euthanasia in the case where patients can't eat or drink.
   Shouldn't We Allow Suicide for Those That are TerminallyIll?
   A medical discussion with examples.
   Couldn't We Save Billions of Dollars by Letting the Terminally Ill Die?
   A discussion of the monetary benefit of killing the terminally ill.
   What About Living Wills?
   A discussion of what a living will really is and the consequences of allowing them to be bound by law.
   A Comparison of Euthanasia and Abortion:
   Graph
   Is There an Alternative to Euthanasia?
   A discussion of the alternatives to euthanasia and their relative value.
   Can Assisted Suicide Remain Voluntary?
   A study by the British House of Lords looks at the progression of euthanasia.
   What About People in Vegetative States?
   A medical look at the recovery rate of vegetative states and its relation to euthanasia.
   

2. http://www.politics1.com/issues-euth.htm
   (mostly pro-euthanasia)
   
   

   Aging withDignity - Anti-Euthanasia Organization
   Citizens UnitedResisting Euthanasia (CURE) - Anti-Euthanasia Organization
   Compassion in Dying Federation - Pro-Euthanasia Organization
   Euthanasia.com - Anti-Euthanasia Resource/Database
   Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization - Pro-Euthanasia Index/Resource
   Hemlock Society USA - Pro-Euthanasia Organization
   International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force - Anti-Euthanasia Organization
   Partnership forCaring - Pro-Euthanasia Organization
   Project on Death inAmerica - Pro-Euthanasia Resource/Database
   

3. Discussion group
   http://groups.google.com/group/talk.euthanasia?lnk=srg