Law, Ethics and Compromise at the Limits of Life - To Treat or not to Treat? (Paperback, New)

A conflict arises in the clinic over the care of a critically ill, incapacitated patient. The clinicians and the patient's family confront a difficult choice: to treat or not to treat? Decisions to withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment feature frequently in the courts and in the world's media, with prominent examples including the cases of Charlotte Wyatt, in the UK, and Terri Schiavo, in the USA. According to legislation like the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the central issues are the welfare (or 'best interests') of the patient, alongside any wishes they might have conveyed, via an 'advance directive' or through the appointment of a 'lasting power of attorney'. Richard Huxtable argues that the law governing both welfare and wishes frequently fails to furnish clinicians and families with the guidance they require. However, he finds this unsurprising, given the competing ethical issues at stake. Huxtable proposes that there is a case for 'principled compromise' here, such that the processes for resolving principled disputes take precedence. He argues for greater ethical engagement, through a reinvigorated system of clinical ethics support, in which committees work alongside the courts to resolve the conflicts that can arise at the limits of life. Providing a comprehensive account of the law pertaining to children and adults alike, and distinctively combining medico-legal and bioethical insights, this book engages scholars and students from both disciplines, as well as informing clinicians about the scope (and limits) of law at the limits of life.

General

Imprint:	Routledge
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Biomedical Law and Ethics Library
Release date:	August 2012
First published:	2013
Authors:	Richard Huxtable
Dimensions:	234 x 156 x 13mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	212
Edition:	New
ISBN-13:	978-0-415-49280-5
Categories:	Books > Medicine > General issues > Medicolegal issues Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > General Books > Law > Laws of other jurisdictions & general law > Social law > General Books > Humanities > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Ethics & moral philosophy > General Books > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Ethics & moral philosophy > General Promotions
LSN:	0-415-49280-7
Barcode:	9780415492805

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!