Thai Doctors Want Changes On Rights To Die

[webfact]

Doctors want changes on rights to die

By The Nation

Medical doctors are pushing for some changes to a legal clause that gives terminal-stage patients the right to die with dignity.

"Doctors don't want to feel they leave the patients to die," Dr Amnaj Kussalanan, president of the Medical Council and chairman of the committee on the living-will implementation guidelines, said yesterday.

The committee's meeting found that the ministerial regulation for the living-will clause in the National Health Act defined the patients' final moments too broadly.

"This may cause problems during the implementation stage. The Medical Council would like to define the term itself via consultation with all parties including royal medical colleges," Amnaj said.

The committee also disagreed with the ministerial regulation-prescribed green light for patients to write their living will anywhere.

"We think the living will must be done at the hospital where the patient is receiving treatment, the provincial public health office, the district office or the National Health Commission Office only," he said.

The doctors also want to remove "terminate medical services" from the living-will sample.

"No doctors will dare do that. Termination means causing the death of the patient," he said.

Dr Samphan Kongrit, secretary-general of the Medical Council, said the act only describes the living will as an expression of intention to forego treatment and to end suffering from terminal illnesses.

"It does not mention patients in the process of receiving treatment but suddenly the ministerial regulation includes these patients too," Samphan said.

The current laws allow only the patient to write his own living will, he said.

"In reality, most patients have not prepared such documents, he said.

"So, legitimate heirs or legal guardians should also be allowed to prepare the living will for the patient," he said.

Amnaj said his committee would soon submit its proposal to the Public Health minister.

"Pending the changes, physicians will stick to following the guidelines prepared by the Medical Council," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

[caribbeanman]

very well done by the Thais doctors, every person has the right to die with dignity :jap:

[Thai at Heart]

When you see the shaky legal grounds that this stands on in the rest of the world, one really has to wonder if the Thai legal system can accommodate it.

[rakman]

When you see the shaky legal grounds that this stands on in the rest of the world, one really has to wonder if the Thai legal system can accommodate it.

It's a revenue generator for law suits and crackdowns..

[Phil Conners]

Actually the articles says the Thai Doctors wants to make it more difficult to allow patients to make the choice for themselves.

I think it should be everybody's right to choose to die. You were not asked getting into this world, at least you should have a choice to decide when to leave it, and certainly when there are terminal and possibly painful illness involved.

[LJW]

i agree, every person should have the right to die, including outside of a hospital.

Which would you rather have, someone dieing in a hospital under pain and bills,

Or would you rather choose to die at home with family and friends- when you choose?

[billd766]

I am 67 and have partly planned for my death.

I have explained to my wife and close friends that should I be in a position that only by staying in hospital will keep me alive then I want to be discharged and die at home with my family.

All my family back in the UK died at home with their families and not in hospital.

With all due respect to any doctor in any country, it is MY life and not yours, it will be MY choice and not yours as to when it ends.

I have a friend whose Mother died a few years ago a week short of her 85th birthday. She was in a hospital in a room with a/c, cable TV, a bed which tilted any which way, nurses at the push of a button,

tubes stuck in her body in a lot of places.

All this to improve the quality of her remaining life. The cost was horrendous.

When it is my time to go I WILL NOT allow my wife to waste the money that will go to her and our son on keeping me alive, and for what?

Will I be able to ride my motorbike, go jogging, eat steak and chips anytime I want, go out and get roaring drunk?

Not a chance. I may live a week or two more but in what condition.

When comes the time it will be my choice and not a doctors.

I will be able to say my final goodbyes to all the people I love, eat something nice if I can, have a few drinks, eat some pills and finish my life with dignity at a time and place of my choosing.

I am sorry if this sounds like a bit of a rant.

[warfie]

I am 67 and have partly planned for my death.

I have explained to my wife and close friends that should I be in a position that only by staying in hospital will keep me alive then I want to be discharged and die at home with my family.

All my family back in the UK died at home with their families and not in hospital.

With all due respect to any doctor in any country, it is MY life and not yours, it will be MY choice and not yours as to when it ends.

I have a friend whose Mother died a few years ago a week short of her 85th birthday. She was in a hospital in a room with a/c, cable TV, a bed which tilted any which way, nurses at the push of a button,

tubes stuck in her body in a lot of places.

All this to improve the quality of her remaining life. The cost was horrendous.

When it is my time to go I WILL NOT allow my wife to waste the money that will go to her and our son on keeping me alive, and for what?

Will I be able to ride my motorbike, go jogging, eat steak and chips anytime I want, go out and get roaring drunk?

Not a chance. I may live a week or two more but in what condition.

When comes the time it will be my choice and not a doctors.

I will be able to say my final goodbyes to all the people I love, eat something nice if I can, have a few drinks, eat some pills and finish my life with dignity at a time and place of my choosing.

I am sorry if this sounds like a bit of a rant.

Totally agree. Three of my Grand-parents and my Father were kept "alive" for lengthy periods ranging from several months to nine years.

Either in hospital with multitudes of tubes and wires or at home restricted to bed and having to consume half a pharmacy every day.

I nursed my Father, at home, as was his wish, as he slowly died, carried him to the bath, toilet etc. helped him wash, even wiped his arse for him.

None of them had any chance of recovery. There was no dignity, only suffering for them and those around them. (Someone, break-out a violin for 'poor Warfie').

If/when I am in that position, I will do it my way, legal or not. But, Heaven help me if I need the onset is too quick and I need assistance and it's illegal.

[puipuitom]

My parents are quite Roman Catholic. Euthenesia.. forbidden.

My father had a fierce argument with the local pastor about: "an animal you have to release from intolarable and no ending suffering. Why you keep this right away from humans? "

My father went in hospital, and a tumor in his brain was discovered, as big as a pigeon's egg.

He sided away in a coma, and the doctors said: maybe one day, maybe one month, maybe 3 months, but.. he will never come to consiousness.

When I was "on guard" suddenly the colour on his face broke together , breathing stopped... dead. But.. the doctor wanted to revive. "Doctor, why ? For a next day, week as a plant?"

In accordance with my fathers discussion years before , I felt the honour to switch off all the machines.

[Bagwan]

By what right does any Thai doctor feel that they should contribute to a discussion about prolonging somebody's life? After taking a lady who I had known for only a week to hospital and the doctor, after telling me that she was seriously anemic, was suffering from tuberculosis and was HIV positive, asked if I was going to pay the bill for her treatment. I asked what would happen if I declined. I was told that they would tell her that they were unable to treat her and would discharge her immediately. Sanctity of life, my arse. Thai doctors are into money in a big way.

As others have stated above, I hold the view my body is mine and I am responsible for it. I consult with medical practitioners in the hope that I am receiving accurate information and opinion with my welfare at the forefront of matters. Any decisions will be made by me and, God forbid, if I decide to reach for the aspirins and a bottle of Scotch, then so be it.

[Orac]

The current laws allow only the patient to write his own living will, he said.

"In reality, most patients have not prepared such documents, he said.

"So, legitimate heirs or legal guardians should also be allowed to prepare the living will for the patient," he said.

This suggestion sounds worrisome to me though it could be down to the translation - are they talking about writing/preparing or signing a living will.

[billd766]

By what right does any Thai doctor feel that they should contribute to a discussion about prolonging somebody's life? After taking a lady who I had known for only a week to hospital and the doctor, after telling me that she was seriously anemic, was suffering from tuberculosis and was HIV positive, asked if I was going to pay the bill for her treatment. I asked what would happen if I declined. I was told that they would tell her that they were unable to treat her and would discharge her immediately. Sanctity of life, my arse. Thai doctors are into money in a big way.

As others have stated above, I hold the view my body is mine and I am responsible for it. I consult with medical practitioners in the hope that I am receiving accurate information and opinion with my welfare at the forefront of matters. Any decisions will be made by me and, God forbid, if I decide to reach for the aspirins and a bottle of Scotch, then so be it.

I have some thoughts about it. PM me if you need any further information.

Edited August 3, 2011 by billd766

[harrry]

I may feel that the continued treatment against the patients expressed wishes is not related to fees when full treatment is provided to everyone without first needing a guarantee of payment.

[housepainter]

All Thais never mind doctors should want the right to die of old age in their bed peacefully.

Alas, the reality is they'll be wasted in a road accident, shot in a road rage accident, shot, beaten to death and shot, shot then poisoned and shot again, murdered by shooting or disappeared by the State, presumed shot.

The latter doubles if you run a corner store and happen to witness the police going about their unlawful business.

Thailand.

Next.