‘Brain Death’ Still Valid, Bioethics Group Says

Comments

PVS and organ donation
Terri Reynolds-Rogers

4/24/2011 1:43:38 PM

 I was working in a hospital Pathology Dept. when Terri Schiavo was put to death. I listened to numerous opinions and justifications regarding this protracted legal battle. The overwhelming opinion of the legitimacy of her euthanasia seemed to me based more upon the opinion-holder's fear and revulsion of living in a persistent vegetative state than in the actual definitions of a living death. My question is, if we have come to legitimize the willful dehydration and starvation of people in this vulnerable state, why do we not now instead harvest their organs and simply kill them? Where is the difference? Either way, we take the steps that result in the vulnerable person's death. No one gains by simply dehydrating the person to death. Many stand to benefit from the harvest of organs. I personally find the whole process of Terri Schiavo's willfully arranged death, particularly the aspect of her husband's will vs. her parents' desire to continue her care, despicable.