Catholic patients, doctors face living will dilemma

A dialogue is urged to interpret the "practical implications" of the Pope's statement on feeding tubes.

By Andis Robeznieks, AMNews staff. April 26, 2004.

The promotion of living wills may have hit a roadblock as Pope John Paul II's call to continue care for patients in a prolonged vegetative state has led to confusion over what the church allows and what living wills can do.

The Kansas City, Mo.-based Midwest Bioethics Center said the Pope's statement that continuing nourishment was "morally obligatory" contradicts past papal declarations, but Catholic Medical Assn. past president George Isajiw, MD, disagreed.

Dr. Isajiw said the Catholic Church allows removal of feeding tubes or refusal of "extraordinary" treatments if death is imminent and would be the result of the patient's disease or injuries -- and not removal of the tube.

Midwest Bioethics Center President and CEO Myra J. Christopher cheered the Pope's call to treat patients in a vegetative state with dignity, but said she would have problems if his statement leads to ignoring patients' advance directives to not prolong their lives by providing food and water through a feeding tube.

"All people have the right to refuse and choose medical treatment consistent with their goals and values," she said. "And, when known, those wishes should be honored."

Christopher added that she will leave the task of interpreting the religious meaning of the Pope's statement to theologians. The Catholic Health Assn. recently released a statement of its own saying that it was in the process of doing just that.