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Commentary: Cultural Issues in Decisionmaking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2016

Extract

This case presents several fundamental ethical issues. The first issue is the patient’s refusal of treatment (a nasogastric tube [NGT] insertion). Second, the patient’s refusal of a seemingly beneficial treatment, combined with her medical history, ultimately necessitates an assessment of her decisionmaking capacity. Third, the sister’s reluctance to participate in decisionmaking requires a discussion of appropriate surrogate decisionmakers. Finally, the main ethical component to this case is a cultural one, which should be addressed appropriately.

Type
Departments and Columns
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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References

Notes

1. Appelbaum, P. Assessment of patients’ competence to consent to treatment. New England Journal of Medicine 2007;357(18):1834–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2. Murphy, L, Lipman, T. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy does not prolong survival in patients with dementia. Archives of Internal Medicine 2003;163:1351–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar