U.S. Bishops to vote on revision of guidlines for patients in vegetative state
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Washington D.C., Nov 6, 2009 / 04:58 pm (CNA).- During their Nov. 16-19 general assembly, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will vote on the moral obligation to provide medically assisted nutrition and hydration to patients in a persistent vegetative state.

The vote will take place in Baltimore at the bishops' semi-annual plenary meeting.

The document up for consideration will be a proposed revision of the "Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care." The reworked directives state more definitively what the moral obligation is regarding medically assisted nutrition and hydration.

The current directive, issued in 2001, states that “there should be a presumption in favor in providing nutrition and hydration to all patients, including patients who require medically assisted nutrition and hydration, as long as this is of sufficient benefit to outweigh the burdens involved to the patient.”

Given cases like that of Terry Schiavo, who died in 2005 when her feeding tube was removed, the need for stronger terminology and a more definitive position on this issue has become apparent.

In addition to other changes, the proposed revision states that “as a general rule, there is an obligation to provide patients with food and water, including medically assisted nutrition and hydration for those who cannot take food orally. This obligation extends to patients in chronic conditions (e.g. the 'persistent vegetative state') who can reasonably be expected to live indefinitely if given such care.”

In order for the revision to be adopted it must be approved by the majority of the bishops present and voting at the meeting.

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: Lonnie Small
Seattle, WA 11/09/2009 05:38 PM EST
Who cares if the Bishops vote on this?! ...the USCCB has zero authority to make doctrine or teach morality without the Holy Father. The food and water statement that they previously made was weak and US Catholics would make decisions to withhold water based on that. (similar to the election voting statements) I pray that the USCCB will be dissolved. We need to look to Rome and the Pope with the Bishops and not the USCCB.
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Published by: Anwer Kamal Pasha
Pakistan 11/07/2009 06:01 PM EST
The moral obligation regarding medically assisted nutrition and hydration of the patients in Persistent Vegetative State, Minimally Conscious State and locked in Syndrome is not important only for the Catholics but for all the human being. I am also trying to tell everybody since long that the view of being unconscious of these patient is just wrong because there is no scan to tell about consciousness is made yet. I knew this with my personal experience with my son Jawad Pasha who was a PVS , still without any motor function but recovered as fully conscious. Another patient here Muhammad Hussain is also showing the same signs. Removing the feeding tube is not less than a murder.
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Published by: JEANNE THERESE VERMETTE
APOPKA, FL. 11/07/2009 05:39 PM EST
I TRULY AGREE THAT THE BISHOPS AND THE POPE SHOULD SPEAK UP LOUD AND CLEAR. WHA HAPPENED TO TERRY SCHIAVO SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED AND IT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. IT GOES THE ROUTE OF ABORTION AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED....DO NOT TAKE A LIFE.
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