Friday 9 September 2011

Euthanasie in India

Op Bio Edge werd het geval besproken van Ms Shanbaug die in een permanent vegetative staat heeft verbleven voor bijna 40 jaren.


Ms Shanbaug has been in a permanent vegetative state for nearly 40 years. In 1973 she was a nurse on duty at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai when she was savagely sexually assaulted by a wardsman. Ever since the hospital staff has taken care of her magnificently. The Court praised them as an example for all of India.

The justices declared that Ms Shanbaug should be allowed to live because she had such loyal friends, rejecting a request from an activist who felt that her life lacked human dignity. However, it set down principles which were poorly informed and badly phrased. It failed to distinguish between "passive euthanasia" and withdrawal of burdensome treatment and it appears to assume that ordinary nutrition and hydration is life support.


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