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“Pulling the Plug” Isn’t Euthanasia
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April 1, 2010 | ARPA Canada
By Margaret Somervill, Ottawa Citizen, March 19 2010: Recently, I saw an illustration that accompanied an article about euthanasia. It showed the silhouette of a patient lying on a bed. There was an electrical outlet on the wall behind the bed and an unplugged connecting cord hanging down over the side of the bed. Except in very rare circumstances — for instance, if the treatment were withdrawn without the necessary consent or against the patient’s wishes — withdrawal of life-support treatment is not euthanasia. Yet many people, including the artist who penned this illustration and many health-care professionals, mistakenly believe that it is. [Keep reading this article here.]
