The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The ethical and legal implications of deactivating an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a terminally ill cancer patient

The ethical and legal implications of deactivating an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a terminally ill cancer patient
The ethical and legal implications of deactivating an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a terminally ill cancer patient
In this paper, the ethical and legal issues raised by the deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with terminal cancer is considered. It is argued that the ICD cannot be well described either as a treatment or as a non-treatment option, and thus raises complex questions regarding how rules governing deactivation should be framed. A new category called “integral devices” is proposed. Integral devices require their own special rules, reflecting their position as a “halfway house” between a form of treatment and a part of the body. The practical problems faced by doctors working in palliative medicine with regard to the deactivation of ICDs are also considered
1473-4257
538-540
England, Ruth
601bfc83-f661-4428-b08a-6c49901d9e92
England, Tim
b06e9af5-36f8-4eae-a233-2b82afee39bd
Coggon, John
192d1511-cd81-45f4-8748-c398b74949b9
England, Ruth
601bfc83-f661-4428-b08a-6c49901d9e92
England, Tim
b06e9af5-36f8-4eae-a233-2b82afee39bd
Coggon, John
192d1511-cd81-45f4-8748-c398b74949b9

England, Ruth, England, Tim and Coggon, John (2007) The ethical and legal implications of deactivating an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a terminally ill cancer patient. Journal of Medical Ethics, 33 (9), 538-540. (doi:10.1136/jme.2006.017657).

Record type: Article

Abstract

In this paper, the ethical and legal issues raised by the deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with terminal cancer is considered. It is argued that the ICD cannot be well described either as a treatment or as a non-treatment option, and thus raises complex questions regarding how rules governing deactivation should be framed. A new category called “integral devices” is proposed. Integral devices require their own special rules, reflecting their position as a “halfway house” between a form of treatment and a part of the body. The practical problems faced by doctors working in palliative medicine with regard to the deactivation of ICDs are also considered

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 1 September 2006
Published date: September 2007
Organisations: Southampton Law School

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 342961
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/342961
ISSN: 1473-4257
PURE UUID: 3c178d43-d64d-4278-9152-8d10dd1704aa

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 19 Oct 2012 10:43
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:56

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Ruth England
Author: Tim England
Author: John Coggon

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×