Pregledni rad
BIOETHICAL ASSAYS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE MATTER OF DISTANASIA AND EUTHANASIA.
Aleksandra Frković
Sažetak
In the healthcare system, evaluation of the quality of life seems to be a very important factor. However, there is no such
measure to evaluate the quality of life on the basis of which one could reliably identify those patients who feel that «life is
not worth living». The dilemma about the quality of life is particularly actualized when one is supposed to decide whether
to end a pregnancy due to severe malformations of the fetus, when one has to decide on how to treat newborn children
with life‐incompatible anomalies, in case of refusal of life‐saving medical treatments, in case of permanent vegetative
states and in case of competent or incompetent personʹs decision making at the end of oneʹs life. In recent bioethical
studies, distasia (prolongation of agony, suffering and postponement of death) has been less argued‐ it was rather direct or
indirect euthanasia that was dealt with. Numerous bioethicists think that ortothanasia is between the two extremes, which
comprises a dignified death without shortening of life but also devoid of further suffering. The medical duty of pain
alleviation is actually an improvement of the patientʹs quality of life in its terminal stage by means of palliative care.
Ključne riječi
the quality of life; bioethics; distanasia; euthanasia
Hrčak ID:
17239
URI
Datum izdavanja:
2.11.2007.
Posjeta: 7.231 *