Dignity in death’cos life is precious

GoI issuing draft guidelines for assisted withdrawal of life support for terminally-ill patients for public consultation is a welcome move. For a patient and his or her loved ones, the decision to cease treatment to allay suffering when all other avenues are considered closed is a difficult one. Doctors have always let patients and their families know when treatment is futile even before the latest draft guidelines were drawn up. Such medical advice can feel arbitrary, encouraging family members to seek out second or third opinions and alternatives. So, the decision on if and when to ‘pull the plug’ needs to be taken when medical care becomes futile, something for the medical practitioner to decide and for him and her to share with patient/family for them to take a call.

Safeguards that this ‘bridge of communication’ is authentic must be in place. The proposed two-panel system creates a double-checking mechanism. It creates accountability for doctors and hospitals when they inform a patient and their family that there is nothing more that medicine can do for them. The guidelines give the patient/family/legal guardian the legal space to make an informed choice.

The draft’s reference to economic burden, and statements on better use of medical resources, create a sense of unease. Safeguards must be built in to ensure that hospitals do not use it as a loophole to provide unnecessary extended treatment to those who can pay. Hope must not be abused. Alongside, a system of long-term care facilities should be set up for those who do not wish to terminate life-sustaining treatments even as mala fide parties may encourage assisted death for the wrong reasons. Life is precious. Which makes it more important that there is dignity in death.