Deep and continuous palliative sedation (terminal sedation): clinical-ethical and philosophical aspects.
Terminal sedation continues to fuel debate. When confronted with a patient for whom terminal sedation is considered a possible treatment option, decision making can be difficult. In this paper we focus on the clinical-ethical issues, with an aim to provide clinicians with ways of framing the issue from an ethical point of view. In addition to the clinical-ethical issues, terminal sedation touches upon interesting and complex questions of an essentially philosophical nature. What it means to be a "person" is one such question, and is a topic that is relevant to clinical, daily practice. Accordingly, in the latter part of this paper we draw briefly on selected philosophical positions to elucidate this question. A doctor's belief of what it means to be a "person" might well affect their actions. For example, if a doctor believes terminal sedation involves the destruction of the person, they might not be willing to proceed with it.
Materstvedt
Lars Johan
LJ
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. lars.johan.materstvedt@ntnu.no
Bosshard
Georg
G
D054810:Deep Sedation / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000941:ethics*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*