Texas Child Denied Regular Care

Texas futile care law might be killing again. Read this and tell me that the medical profession (at least those involved here) don’t want people more dead than alive – and will deceive to do it. Shocking.

Mother pleads to doctor to restore son's food and water

A 12-year-old boy, Zach McDaniel (earlier reports claimed his last name was Fernandez), was secretly denied food and water and life-saving treatment while at a hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. His doctor also slipped a "do not resuscitate" order into the boy's chart without the knowledge and consent of his parents. more

Good Take On Futile Care

Here’s a great piece about futile care by my friend and colleague Wesley Smith.

The Trouble With Futile Care Theory

I was pretty teed off about the Canadian doctors trying to force Hassan Rasouli off of wanted life-sustaining treatment. Then, when I found out that even though they were absolutely wrong in their “certainty” that he would never wake up, they still were considering trying to force him off of treatment, I took to the Daily Caller to describe the case, but more broadly, to warn a popular audience about the danger Futile Care Theory poses to the ethics of medicine and patient autonomy. more

Futile Care Coming To A Hospital Near You

Here’s a good take on medical futility and its implications.

‘Futile care’ duty to die may be coming to a hospital near you

When a Canadian man named Hassan Rasouli suffered complications after brain surgery, his doctors wanted to pull the plug. But his Muslim family said no. It was against Hassan’s values, and moreover, they believed he showed signs of improvement. In any event, they wanted him to be able to continue to fight for life.

But that didn’t end matters. The doctors claimed that continuing treatment was “futile” because he would never get better. Moreover, they announced they intended to stop all treatment except for comfort care — regardless of the family’s desires or their patient’s personal values — an example of what is known in bioethics as “Futile Care Theory” or “medical futility.” more

Death Panels? Of Course!!

The Texas futility law has been in place for quite a while and continues to contribute to the medicalized death of people with severe medical disabilities.

Is the Texas Medical Futility Act a real-life "death panel"?

A patient identified only as "Willie" was denied nourishment and died in a Houston hospital last month, according to Texas Right to Life. Willie went to seek help a few weeks ago after experiencing chest pains; doctors found pneumonia and leukemia. Apparently, he slipped into a coma following surgery, and the doctor and hospital ethics board determined further care would be futile, giving the family 10 days to find another facility to treat him.

Though he had plenty of insurance, no other facility would accept him. After the legally required 10 days, the hospital ended nourishment.

He was "dehydrated and starved to death completely against the family's desire,” said Texas Right to Life’s Elizabeth Graham. more

"Conscience" Clauses May Well Hurt More Than They Help

Here’s a good piece my colleague Burke Balch that “conscience clauses” don’t necessarily mean something good. The piece also addresses some issues related to futile care.

SOME “CONSCIENCE” LAWS AUTHORIZE INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA

Pro-life people are conditioned to think positively of “conscience” laws because we want to protect health care personnel from being forced to participate in abortion or to assist suicides. Indeed, laws that are narrowly drawn to cover such cases, or that have language adequately protecting against denial of lifesaving medical treatment based on age, disability, or other “quality of life” factors, are worthy of support. more

The Ugliness Of Futile Care

Futile care issues seem to be on the backburner at the moment, but here’s a Texas case that revisits the issue. Futile care basically says that if any treatment won’t make someone better, it should be withdrawn, and it’s legal to do so in Texas.

Sugar Land boy in the middle of futile-care dispute dies

A Sugar Land boy whose brain cancer triggered the state's latest futile-care law controversy has died, six months after Texas Children's Hospital planned to remove his life support. more