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Catch-22 and Physician-Assisted Suicide
Gary Standke, MD
Greater Valley Medical Group Canoga Park, Calif
Arch Fam Med. 1995;4(7):581.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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The concept of catch-22 was used to describe why a patient could not be sane and at the same time want to stop the medication treatment that was keeping her alive.1 Two days prior to reading the article by Hensel, I gave a talk to about 30 of our patients on durable power of attorney. One question was asked several times, "Will my doctors do what I ask?" The answer is still "maybe."
Hensel describes a patient who wants to die. He is certain she is not crazy. She has been treated for her depression and this is not now present. She has refused to take her medications and oxygen on many occasions, in summary, a sane person who has made a decision to have no further medical therapy and be allowed to die.
But this wish has not been followed. Her daughter forces her to continue taking her medications
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
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