The dangerous precedent of Alfie Evans

The tragic case of Alfie Evans has roiled Great Britain and the world. Alfie was a two-year-old child in the United Kingdom with an unknown degenerative brain disease who eventually deteriorated to the point that he required life support. His brain had become mostly liquid, and he could not see, speak, or hear. Alder Hey Hospital decided his condition was terminal and irreversible and wanted to stop further treatment. His parents disagreed and wanted to transfer care to another hospital in Italy that was willing to accept him. Alder Hey went to court arguing that it was better that the child be allowed to die because keeping him alive was cruel and harmful. They ultimately won, and Alfie Evans passed away. This has sparked a great outcry, particularly among the pro-life movement in the U.S. And, indeed, the idea that the state can literally declare that death is better than life for anyone should be horrifying to everyone. But the decision to take Alfie off life support was a reasonable and ethical one — if it was justified as being fair to all patients. It is even a reasonable one for individual doctors to conclude that further treating a patient in front of them is harmful and not ethical? But when court decided it had the right to decide that the child should die rather than live, it became an abomination. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Policy Hospital-Based Medicine Palliative Care Source Type: blogs