Joint Centre for Bioethics, Toronto
12 Sept 2002
Peter A. Singer
Intensive care unit physicians need to be comfortable prescribing drugs in whatever dose is needed to relieve a dying patient’s pain and suffering, even if this hastens the patient’s death, according to proposed new guidelines released today by researchers at an international medical ethics think-tank.
The guidelines identify the intent of the physician administering narcotics and sedatives as the most crucial distinction between palliative care – managing pain and suffering but not treating the underlying illness – and assisted death (euthanasia/assisted suicide).
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