Citation

Curlin FA, Tollefsen C. Christ. Bioeth. 2021; 27(3): 250-263.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Journal of Christian Bioethics, Publisher Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/cb/cbab010

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The medical profession's increasing acceptance of "physician aid-in-dying"indicates the ascendancy of what we call the provider-of-services model for medicine, in which medical "providers"offer services to help patients maximize their "well-being"according to the wishes of the patient. This model contrasts with and contradicts what we call the Way of Medicine, in which medicine is a moral practice oriented to the patient's health. A steadfast refusal intentionally to harm or kill is a touchstone of the Way of Medicine, one unambiguously affirmed by Christians through the centuries. Moreover, physician aid-in-dying contradicts one of the distinctive contributions that the Christian era brought to medicine, namely, a taken-for-granted solidarity between medical practitioners and those suffering illness and disability. Insofar as medical practitioners cooperate in aid-in-dying, they contradict this solidarity and undermine the trust that patients need to allow themselves to be cared for by physicians when they are sick and debilitated. © 2021 The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of The Journal of Christian Bioethics, Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language: en

Keywords

trust; physician-assisted suicide; solidarity; physician aid-in-dying