Monday, April 27, 2009

Getting smarter about end of life

The Skeptical Hypochondriac links to what sounds like an interesting Terry Gross interview with Dr. Robert Martensen, a doctor, medical ethicist and expert on end of life care.

I found this interview snippet on the blog interesting, and plan to listen to the radio show as soon as I can:
Many of the medical tools we currently use during end of life care were not created for that purpose. For example, a ventilator is a great way to help someone bridge from sickness to health. Does the same tool (which is extremely uncomfortable and requires additional drugs) make sense to extend one’s life for a few days or weeks? Should we sustain life at all cost?

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