The politics of palliative care and the ethical boundaries of medicine: Gonzales v. Oregon as a cautionary tale.
The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-decision in Gonzales v. Oregon is the latest defeat for the Bush administration in its sustained attack on Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law. Both the majority opinion and the major dissent in Oregon provide an opportunity to assess the dangers inherent in allowing a political agenda that emphasizes the sanctity of life and minimizes professional ethical obligations to overshadow quality patient care at the end of life.
Hilliard
Bryan
B
Department of Languages, Literature, and Philosophy, Mississippi University for Women, MS, USA.
D006801:Humans; D009922:Oregon; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010819:Physician's Role; D011057:Politics; D012297:Right to Die / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035521:Supreme Court Decisions