Mr. L, a British Hassan Rasouli?

A case now pending before the Court of Protection at the High Court in London (Mr. Justice Moylan) has some uncanny parallels to the Hassan Rasouli case pending before the Supreme Court of Canada.

1. 55-year-old Mr. L., like 60-year-old Mr. Rasouli is a Muslim who believes that "you prolong life as far as you can and that you actively take every step to do so."  The family wants him kept alive as long as possible so that he can die "a good Muslim death."


2. Mr. L., after a hypoxic bain injury from a severe heart attack five weeks ago, was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state, like Mr. Rasouli.


3. Mr. L., like Mr. Rasouli, was re-diagnosed after the commencement of court proceedings, as being in a minimally conscious state, instead of in a PVS.


4. Clinicians at the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, like clinicians at Sunnybrook Hospital, think that Mr. L.'s continued treatment is medically inappropriate, because Mr. L. has no meaningful prospects for further recovery.  Non-palliative care, the trust's barrister explained, would not be the prolongation of life but just "the prolongation of death and lack of dignity."


5. The 
   Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, like Sunnybrook clinicians Cuthbertson and Rubenfeld, want the court to permit them to withhold and/or withdraw life-sustaining treatment (CPR in Mr. L.'s case).  

On Thursday, the case was adjourned until October 1, 2012, so that clinicians can consider the new evidence about Mr. L.'s condition.