PHLB09H3 Study Guide - Final Guide: Terminal Illness, Voluntary Euthanasia, Involuntary Euthanasia
Document Summary
Equipoise: a state of balance or indifference between two options: the relative merits and drawbacks (or risks/benefits) of one option are considered equivalent to the relative merits and drawbacks of another option. Theoretical equipoise: a physician is in a state of indifference between two treatment options. Clinical equipoise: the medical community is a genuine state of disagreement regarding the preferability of two treatment options. For example, age: terminal illness is value and comes in degrees. 6 weeks: causal slippery slope: psychological/legal factors will compel us to transition from acceptable cases to unacceptable cases , for example, If we allow assisted suicide for competent patients, physicians will be more likely to offer voluntary euthanasia for competent patients. If we allow pad for competent patients, physicians will be more likely to offer it for incompetent patients who have expressed previous wishes regarding it.
