The case of the double is well known in ethical debate and this partcular version, of giving morphine to alleviate pain even though it is likely to shorten life, is even in A level syllabi. But it turns out it's not a good example.
Which leads me to the question: what happens if a well-read A level student attempts to put this over and is marked down by the marker because the latter hasn't got this research in front of them?
Technorati Tags: education, morphine, double-effect, ethics, euthanasia
Evidence over the past 20 years has repeatedly shown that, used correctly, morphine is well tolerated and does not shorten life or hasten death, he explains. Its sedative effects wear off quickly (making it useless if you want to stay unconscious), toxic doses can cause distressing agitation (which is why such doses are never used in palliative care), and it has a wide therapeutic range (making death unlikely).
The Dutch know this and hardly ever use morphine for euthanasia
Which leads me to the question: what happens if a well-read A level student attempts to put this over and is marked down by the marker because the latter hasn't got this research in front of them?
Technorati Tags: education, morphine, double-effect, ethics, euthanasia
1 comment:
That is a very interesting point. I had not heard of that research and assumed, as many probably do, that morphine does shorten life.
Kate - LovetoLead
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