Christian Worldview Concepts

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

Terminal Sedation for Non-Terminal Patients

Terminal sedation is not a rarely used last resort, as some proponents claim. Despite the fact that there have been just a few studies on the use of terminal sedation, its use runs as high as 52 percent among the terminally ill. When aggravating factors such as cost containment, overburdened caregivers and heightened patient awareness of its availability are considered, the incidence of terminal sedation being used for patients experiencing stroke, dementia and other serious illnesses will likely increase.

The precedent has already been set. Living wills and other advance directives have already been used to terminate supportive care for patients who are not imminently dying. Tolerating just a little bit of deliberate death, albeit with "safeguards," will not be so bad since it provides patients with more control at the end of life. This is how we should expect a culture of death to think.