נגישות
Dear Rav Halparin and co
I am a former student of the Summer Programme. I wonder if you can help or direct me in the correct direction. What is our view on nutrition at end of life. Are we obliged t force feed, to insert NG tubes. to do PEGS. this issue came up as I know of a severely terminal patient in a coma whom the hospital refused to give any nutrition to. The palliative Drs now say that it is a natural end of life response for the body not to take nutrition.
Please help
thank you
kol tov
M H
Death of dehydration or hunger is unrelated to the dying process, and is considered as unacceptable hastening of death. Therefore, halachically food and fluid must be provided to any person, including a terminal patient. There is a dispute between R. Feinstein and R. Auerbach if food and fluid has to be provided even by force to a competent dying patient. However, if the patient is comatose or otherwise incompetent all agree that food and fluid should be provided by all means (even depite a living will), including NG tube or PEG unless medically (not philosophically) contraindicated.
In summery:
Feeding by NG tube or PEG is obligatory in all patients unless they are expected to die from their disease before they will die of starvation. Therefore with your question, it depends on how terminal the patient was judged to be.
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