title: Issues at the end of life. The revised Ethical and Religious Directives discuss suicide, euthanasia, and end-of-life procedures.
abstract: Part 5 of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services reminds us that death is necessary for the transition to eternal life. Thus, although Christians have a duty to preserve worldly life, a gift from God, that duty is not absolute. Suicide and euthanasia are never morally acceptable. On the other hand, life-prolonging therapy need not be used if it provides insufficient benefit or imposes an excessive burden. Directive 55 describes the comfort and care that should be given to dying patients. Directives 56 through 59 discuss the ethical norms for either using or forgoing procedures designed to prolong life. Directive 60 repeats the Church's teaching in regard to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS)--that is, whatever the intentions of those who employ them, euthanasia and PAS remain forms of murder. Directive 62 considers the methods used to determine that death has occurred. Directive 66 encourages patients to donate their organs and bodily tissue after death. However, the directive says, Catholic healthcare facilities should not make use of tissue obtained by direct abortions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Care Ethics, Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: deBlois
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
mesh_terms: D002410:Catholicism; D034723:Double Effect Principle; D004989:Ethics; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005065:Euthanasia; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000592:standards*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017236:Suicide, Assisted; D014019:Tissue Donors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D014481:United States; D028761:Withholding Treatment