LONDON, January 16, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Observer in the UK reported Sunday that Catholics in the UK have taken to carrying special ID cards informing doctors that they do not wish to be deprived of food and fluids in the case of admission to hospital.
In a growing worldwide trend, doctors in the UK consider what used to be routine care–administration of nutrition and hydration, by artificial means if necessary–to be "treatment" which can be refused or denied.
The UK’s Association of Catholic Women (ACW) which produced the ID cards, had sold nearly 26,000 by 2005.
"We were greatly concerned that ANH (artificial nutrition and hydration) was considered as ‘treatment’, and could be withdrawn if the patient was deemed to have a ‘poor quality of life,’ thus leading to death by starvation/dehydration," explained a spokesperson for the ACW.
The card is a simple blue card stating: "In case of my admission to hospital please contact a Roman Catholic priest. I would like my nursing care to include fluids – however administered."
Good idea, but I think I would like a card more specific than to just contact a Catholic priest. With my luck they would contact Rev. John ("Pull the plug") Paris, SJ or someone like him. To quote the Little Shop of Horrors, Audrey II: Feed me, Seymour.
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Somewhat similar to the DNR or Do-Not-Resuscitate Order, this appears to be the lesser known DNK or Do-Not-Kill Order. The DNK has begun to make its appearance since the decline in the number of doctors who subscribe to the DNH or Do-No-Harm Order.
I have a living will which basically asks that I not be killed.
But I doubt these DNK cards will have much effect. I’ve blogged in the past about cases in Britain in which the court found that the Doctor had the authority to euthanize even without the patient’s consent.
LOVING Will versus Living Will.
Read the difference
The Loving Will: An Ethical Alternative to ‘Living Will’ Documents
http://www.all.org/article.php?id=10171
Maybe we need s’thing like “Feed me if I’m alive; leave me if I’m dead.”
I agree with Paul. I think the card might work in a Terry-Schiavo-situation here in the States, but that’s only temporarily true, simply because we haven’t reached quite the point yet that they have in Britain, where there is now precedent for judging the patient’s past wishes as essentially irrelevant to his or her present condition, one which might well be “poor” and therefore giving the ethical and legal authority to the attending physicians and no one else, including the patient. I read somewhere that the elderly in Belgium were also carrying these cards, or trying their best to find treatment outside the country.
Wait till suicide-wannabes begin to scare doctors with “wrongful life” suits.
For some reason, this reminds me to ask–whatever happened to the young man’s suit against his former girlfriend? The guy who said that he shouldn’t have to pay child support because he didn’t want a child and she chose not to abort it? Has that been decided yet?
How about a DTKMCC (Don’t Try to Kill Me and Call it a Cure) Card?
Or how about CIALSDWWTHML (Could I At Least See a Doctor Who Will Try to Help Me Live) Card?
This is getting ridiculous. Next thing you know, people will avoid the hospitals altogether when the get hurt or sick. Better off taking my chances in 14th century monastery…
Feed Me ID Cards
Tag:No TagsCatholics in the UK have begun carrying ID cards indicating that if they are warded in hospital, they do not wish to be deprived of food and water.
This card is being produced by the Association of Catholic Women (in the UK). I hope that the…
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