Death Class - New Show Coming to NBC

In development since April, "Death Class" has finally landed at NBC, according to the Hollywood Reporter.The drama will center on Norma Bowe, a nurse who decides to teach a new class on death and dying at a New Jersey college.  Unexpectedly, the class becomes immensely popular among students and helps many of them to cope with their personal and family problems.The drama is adapted from the book "Death Class: A True Story About Life" by Erika...

Read More

Advance Care Planning Tools That Educate, Engage, and Empower

In the current issue of Public Policy & Aging Report, Charlie Sabatino, American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, has contributed "Advance Care Planning Tools That Educate, Engage, and Empower."Sabatino reviews a variety of pathways, tools, workbooks, and decision aids have been emerging to facilitate advance care planning and to enable documentation of one’s goals and wishes. He focuses on tools that actively engage users...

Read More

Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care - 2015 Conference

The Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care (MNHPC) is the state's leading hospice and palliative care network. It brings together providers, business partners, individuals and donors to increase knowledge, access services, and strengthen advocacy for people living with a serious illness or experiencing the end of life.MNHPC will hold its 2015 Annual Conference April 19-21, 2015. Please follow this link to learn how to submit a proposal...

Read More

Jahi McMath - Prematurely Fostering Mistrust

Jahi McMath was adjudicated as legally dead in December 2013.  Her family has yet to deliver any cogent, definitive evidence that supports changing her diagnosis. Can they?  Will they?If Jahi's family can establish (with independent expert evidence) that she no longer satisfies the criteria for death, that will be tremendously significant.  It will highlight the need to re-attend to the clinical tests by which we ascertain the complete cessation of brain function.  Public confidence in the current diagnosis will be seriously...

Read More

More Secret DNR Orders in UK - Barbara Gibson

In the UK, clinicians may write a DNR order without consent, if they deem that to be in the patient's best interest.  But clinicians must still consult with the patient or family.  In other words, they may write a unilateral DNR order.  But they may not write a "secret" DNR order. Yet, as I have recounted on this blog more than a dozen times, this continues to happen.   One of the most recent cases...

Read More

Must we all die with forced hand-feeding in Advanced Dementia? Will others honor our Living Will?

A nice video by Stanley Terman reviewing the Margot Bentley case now on appeal in British Columb...

Read More

Brittany Maynard Urges Palliative Care Specialist to Stop Misrepresenting Her Case

Brittany Maynard urges palliative care specialist Ira Byock to stop misrepresenting her case prior to his debate with Compassion & Choices President Barbara Coombs Lee on the Diane Rehm Show this week.In comments that Brittany posted on the website for Rehm’s nationally-syndicated NPR show, she denied claims by Byock and other opponents of death with dignity that Compassion & Choices is using her to advance the aid-in-dying movement....

Read More

Medical Overview of Brain Death (Video)

Adam Webb at Emory provides an excellent and accessible overview of the medical and ethical issues involved in brain death in this recent webinar for the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Critical Care Medici...

Read More

Making Decisions for Others - Surrogates & Unrepresented Patients (May 7-8, 2015)

Ethical dilemmas commonly arise in healthcare regarding patients who are unable to make their own medical decisions.  Who is best positioned to speak for these patients, and what decisions should we allow them to make? What if the patient has no friends or close family members, or close relatives disagree on the best course of action? Should there be a limit on what parents can decide for minor children? Cases involving decisions...

Read More

Today Is Jahi McMath's Birthday

Today, October 24, is Jahi McMath's birthday.  She is 14 years old today.  Or is she?  It is hard to tell, because there remains uncertainty over whether she is alive or de...

Read More

Supreme Court’s Decision in Tschumy: Told from the Front Line by the Lawyers Who Litigated the Case

The Minnesota State Bar Association is presenting:  "The Supreme Court’s Decision in Tschumy: Told from the Front Line by the Lawyers Who Litigated the Case."  The Minnesota Supreme Court recently issued its long awaited opinion in the important case of In re: the Guardianship of Jeffers J. Tschumy.  In a divided opinion, the Court found that a professional guardian can order the removal of life-support from patients without court...

Read More

VA Hospital Mistakenly Places DNR Order on Roland Mayo

The Sacramento, California Veterans Affairs Medical Center has admitted to mistakenly placing a do-not-resuscitate armband on patient Roland Mayo.  (USA Today)The patient's daughter said that he was hospitalized for a stent replacement in his carotid artery but that complications from previous cancer surgery required a second operation. After that surgery, the patient began vomiting and choking on the vomit.The VA explained that the arm band did not contribute to a delay in the response of the code team, which attempted to resuscitate...

Read More

Barbara Mancini: Innocent of Assisted Suicide

The Hamline Health Law Institute and Compassion & Choices are pleased to host:Barbara Mancini: Innocent of Assisted Suicide5:30 p.m. Reception6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PresentationThursday, November 13, 2014Kay Fredericks Room, Klas Center, Hamline UniversityAs reported by 60 MINUTES this week, Nurse Barbara Mancini was arrested and prosecuted for "assisting a suicide" in Pennsylvania for simply handing her terminally-ill...

Read More

North Dakota Personhood Amendment - Impact on End-of-Life Care

On November 4, North Dakota residents will vote on eight ballot initiatives, one of which would amend the state constitution.If passed, the ballot initiative would add a new section to article I of the North Dakota Constitution:  "The inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and defended."Planned Parenthood observes that this language is quite "sweeping as it contains no exceptions what so ever; not life of woman, health of woman, rape or incest. This could also ban access...

Read More

Jean Davies - Successful VSED

Octogenarian Jean Davies, who is also a right-to-die campaigner, successfully used VSED to hasten her death.  She stopped drinking water on 16 September and passed away on 1 October.  (Sunday Times; Independent; Guardian).The former maths teacher, 86, did not have a terminal illness, but suffered a range of conditions that made her life uncomfortable including chronic back pain and fainting episodes.  Davies received care...

Read More

VSED Interview - Not Here by Choice with Phyllis Shacter

The End-of-Life University has an online interview series that provides valuable resources and inspiration for the end of life.  On October 23, 2013 (1:00 ET), join Dr. Karen Wyatt and her guest Phyllis Shacter, an advocate for natural dying through voluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED.) Phyllis will discuss the story of her husband Alan who made the choice to stop eating and drinking rather than progress into the later stages...

Read More

"Brain Death" : Facilitating Family/Hospital Dialogue about Death by Neurological Criteria

The Southern California Bioethics Committee Consortium (SCBCC) in collaboration with LMU Bioethics Institute is presenting "'Brain Death' - Facilitating Family/Hospital Dialogue about Death by Neurological Criteria."This is a half-day conference for healthcare professionals, bioethical scholars, policymakers, and the public.  It will be on January 18, 2015, from 8 am to 12 pm, at Loyola Marymount University, Ahmanson Auditorium.8:00-8:30...

Read More

Jahi McMath Family Gathering Better Evidence Refuting Death Diagnosis

In an October 8 filing with the Alameda County Superior Court, Jahi McMath's family has acknowledged Dr. Fisher's concerns and criticisms with the evidence that it presented earlier this month.  In response, the McMath family has asked the court for four weeks time to "undertake some of the testing which Dr.Fisher says is missing."  If the complete and proper testing confirms what the "preliminary" data suggested (i.e. that Jahi is not now dead), that is an extraordinary and remarkable result with significant implications for medical...

Read More

What If You Had To Keep PAYING Life Support Machine To Stay Alive?

In this short proof-of-concept film a woman copes with a terminal illness while a machine keeps her alive. And whenever time is up, her lover must pump more money into the machine.Director Jason Ho and his co-writer Andrew Post are hoping to turn Into Dusk into a longer film. As it stands, though, it works as a brief fable about individuals bearing the financial burden of their medical ca...

Read More

Barbara Mancini Assisted Suicide Case

Pennsylvania nurse Barbara Mancini was prosecuted for allegedly helping her terminally ill, 93-year-old father overdose on a bottle of morphine. While the charges were ultimately dismissed, the prosecution harmed Barbara, her father, her family, hospice patients, and all terminally ill patients.This morning (Sat), I am discussing the case at the ASBH Annual Meeting in San Diego.Tomorrow (Sun), Barbara will discuss the case with Anderson Cooper on...

Read More

Death by Neurologic Criteria 1968 - 2014: Changing Interpretations

The December 2014 issue of the Journal of Critical Care includes a special section titled "Death by Neurologic Criteria 1968 - 2014: Changing Interpretations."The future of deathBrian Wowk Where have we been? Where are we going? Initiatives to improve uniformity of policies, integrity of practice, and improve understanding of brain death within the global medical community and lay publicSam D. Shemie, Andrew BakerAnalysis of the reports of high-level...

Read More

Minnesota Sentences Melchert-Dinkel to 178 Days in Jail for Assisted Suicide

Even in the five states (MT, NM, OR, VT, WA) where aid in dying is legal, assisted suicide is not.  Aid in dying is for capacitated, terminally ill patients like Brittany Maynard.  In contrast, assisted suicide occurs under less controlled and less justifiable circumstances.  Case in point:  William Melchert-Dinkel, who was just re-sentenced in Minnesota for preying upon suicidal people — encouraging two to take their liv...

Read More

Dying in America: IOM Recommendations and Next Steps for Stakeholders

On September 17, 2014, the Institute of Medicine released the report Dying in America: Improving Quality and Honoring Individual Preferences Near the End of Life, in which an expert committee identified “persistent major gaps in care near the end of life that require urgent attention from numerous stakeholder groups.” The committee made comprehensive recommendations in the areas of care delivery, clinician–patient communication and advance care planning, professional education and development, payment systems and policies, and public engagement...

Read More

Family Update on Jahi McMath

This was posted to Facebook today:"MESSAGE FROM JAHI'S MOTHER, NAILAH:Hello Everyone, I wanted to take this time out to thank you all for every donation every prayer and every positive thought you send Jahi's way. Jahi is physically stable. All of her organs are fully functional, her skin is flawless and all of her joints are nice and loose. She is a real life sleeping beauty.""She is alot more responsive to my voice now than what she used to be....

Read More

Supreme Court of Canada Hears Arguments on Aid in Dying

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court of Canada hears arguments on whether terminally ill Canadians have right to a doctor-assisted death.Twenty-one ago, the court upheld the law that criminalizes physician and in dying.  But, as many of the more than 20 intervener briefs observe, much has changed over the past two decades.Two British Columbia women, Gloria Taylor and Kay Carter, launched the original lawsuit back in 2011.  The trial court's...

Read More

New Jersey Urges Medicare Coverage for Advance Care Planning

A New Jersey Senate Concurrent Resolution urges CMS to provide reimbursement to physicians for advance care planning consultations with Medicare participants.  A related bill (S.2435) would provide Medicaid coverage.  Here is the text of the resolution:WHEREAS, Advance care planning is the practice of making explicit written instructions to caregivers, family and friends on measures for delivering health care and for preserving that adult’s dignity in the event that the adult is unable, because of incapacity, to make those...

Read More

Barbara Mancini: Innocent of Assisted Suicide - November 13 in Saint Paul

The Hamline Health Law Institute and Compassion & Choices are pleased to host:Barbara Mancini: Innocent of Assisted Suicide5:30 p.m. Reception6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PresentationThursday, November 13, 2014Kay Fredericks Room, Klas Center, Hamline UniversityNurse Barbara Mancini was arrested and prosecuted for "assisting a suicide" in Pennsylvania for simply handing her terminally-ill father his morphine. Join us to hear from a noted death with...

Read More

Tim Quill on "Near-Futile" Treatment

In the October 2014 edition of Medical Ethics Advisor, Timothy Quill notes that when treatments might possibly help a little and they have some very small potential utility, patients can typically get access to these.This may change down the road.  "But we aren't even close to being there as a profession or as a society."  Bioethicists can fully inform the involved parties of the risks, benefits, and limitations of a near-futile treatment....

Read More

Texas Medical Association Defends Advance Directives Act

Konni Burton is running for the Texas State Senate as a Tea Party candidate.  She recently took a position on the end-of-life medical disputes.Burton sent a campaign mailer that stated: “As State Senator, Konni will fight to protect the elderly and disabled patients from doctors who want to administer life-ending procedures.”  (Star Telegram)  This is an attack on Texas Health & Safety Code 166.046, the so-called...

Read More

Lucas Moore: 23-week 520-gram Baby Survives

Lucas Moore was born prematurely at 23 weeks weighing 520 grams, just 0.7 of an ounce over the hospital’s 500 gram cut-off point for intervention. (Telegraph)With severe health problems – including a bleed on the brain and a hole in his heart – Lucas’s chances seemed dire, and doctors warned there was a high chance of him suffering disabilities as a result.  But Lucas defied predictions and has now celebrated his first birthday.  The...

Read More

The Law and Ethics of Dementia

Just published:  The Law and Ethics of Dementia, edited by: Charles Foster, Jonathan Herring, Israel Doron Dementia is a topic of enormous human, medical, economic, legal and ethical importance. Its importance grows as more of us live longer. The legal and ethical problems it raises are complex, intertwined and under-discussed. This book brings together contributions from clinicians, lawyers and ethicists - all of them world leaders in the...

Read More

George Watson - End-of-Life Pathway without Consultation

Liz Watson claims doctors put her terminally ill husband, George, on an 'end of life pathway' without telling her, denying her the chance to share his final days with him.  (Daily Mail; Edinburgh News)Medical notes showed doctors started Mr Watson's end of life treatment at 11:00 am on August 6 and were supposed to discuss it with family at 4:00 pm - which Mrs Watson maintains "never happene...

Read More

BMA Updates "Decisions Relating to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation"

On Tuesday, the British Medical Association, in conjunction with Resuscitation Council (UK) and the Royal College of Nursing, published a new guidance, a revised edition of Decisions Relating to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.The guidelines identify the key ethical and legal issues that should inform all CPR decisions. Key points emphasized in the new guidance include:The value of making anticipatory decisions about CPR as an integral...

Read More

Dolan Press Release on Postponing Jahi McMath Hearing

The following is an unedited press release issued by Christopher Dolan, McMath family attorney.  I have posted a copy of the referenced documents here.Christopher Dolan, McMath family attorney, has asked Alameda County Superior Court Judge Emillo Grillo to postpone tomorrow’s hearing regarding Jahi McMath’s status as brain dead so that the team of international brain death experts presented by McMath’s attorneys can have time to read and react to a new statement issued by Dr. Paul Fischer, the physician who originally...

Read More

Hamline University Health Law Institute - Annual Report

This is the annual report, or "2014 Highlights" of the Hamline University Health Law Institute.  It summarizes the accomplishments of our faculty and students over the 2013-2014 academic ye...

Read More