Christian Worldview Concepts

The Ethics of Terminal Sedation as a Treatment for End-of-Life Pain and Suffering

Terminal Sedation Defined

Terminal sedation generally refers to the deliberate termination of a person's awareness through the use of drugs that induce deep sleep and the withholding or withdrawal of life support technologies such a food and fluids. Terminal sedation places a person in virtually the same state as that of a person under anesthesia prior to and during surgery. However, with terminal sedation, all supportive care is stopped and drugs are administered in an amount sufficient to make the patient unconscious and unaware. When instituted in this manner, terminal sedation results in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This is why the procedure is called terminal — it is intended to produce death.