A patient who has a complete C1 paraplegia, in the hospital attatched to machines and has an advance directive stipulating that he does not want to be kept alive. What can be done? More specifically- are family members allowed to carry out his wishes?
Thank you.
DNR in the strict sense of withholding life-saving disease-related measures is not against halakhah. However, there are several qualifications to this lenient position: The patient suffers from an incurable disease and is at a stage where his life expectancy is only a few months; the patient (not his family) is suffering; the patient expresses his wish not to be treated, and if incompetent — there is clear evidence that such were his wishes when he was competent; the treatment is not expected to resolve an immediate complication but rather will incraese the patient's suffering.
The particular case has to be evaluated according to these principles.
Shalom Harav Halperin Thank you for your time and guidance in the matter ofThe lady in ICU with Cancer and brain damage. Please send
שלום. במסגרת עבודה בביולוגיה אני עוסקת בשאילת האבחון הגנטי טרום השרשתי מבחינת ההלכה במחלת ה-ALS (ניוון שרירים). אשמח לתשובה במהירות האפשרית. בתודה, יעל
כבוד הרב שלום רב, שמי יהונתן ואני בן 20. נולדתי כבד שמיעה ברם בהגיעי לגיל 17 הפכתי חירש לחלוטין. לאחר דין ודברים והתיעצויות מרובות, עברתי
