ISG 120226 How doctors choose to die (Host:Kooper)

[Kooper]

Dear ISGers,

Sorry for posting the article so late. Please read the article HOW DOCTORS CHOOSE TO DIE (http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/08/how-doctors-choose-die). I'll add assignment later this week.

Questions for discussion:
1. Imagine that you have been declared to be terminally ill. Various options of medical treatment you have only differ in how much they might prolong your life but none of them can cure you. How would you like to die? Will you turn to euthanasia, hospice, active but invasive cutting-edge medical technologies or life support machine? Will you make different decision if the length of life extension is years, months or days? What other factors that might influence your choice?

2. If it were one of your family members who were terminally ill,what would you do?

3. In your opinion, at what stage should we let a patient go without medical intervention? What is the line that distinguish humanity from murder?

4. Do you plan to document how you want to die?

[Sherry Liao]

Will we have a meeting tomorrow morning? If so, what should we do before the meeting, in addition to reading the article?

[Kooper]

Questions for discussion have been posted.