Medicine and the Law Coursework 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Medicine and the Law Coursework 2 - Essay Exampleaby M case, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health observed that the judgment was in accordance with the guidelines it had set out in 2004 in consultation with p arnts, patient groups and representatives of variant religious groups.(BBC News Report, 2006). It expressed the opinion that each case was to be treated individually and rigid rules could not be imposed that would apply in every case. But as discussed below, the precedents established by the Courts have sh experience that in general, the guiding principle is one of favouring life story although each case is considered on its own merit.The Charlotte Wyatt case1 concerned a prematurely born baby that was suffering from a number of life threatening conditions. The Court also held in this instance that life sustaining treatment to the child could not be withdrawn. The Children Act of 1989 requires that the welfare of the child be accorded top priority and this is the guiding principle in all decisions that are made in reference to children. This is also the basis whereby the Crown can intervene in order to ensure that the interests of children are protected, because they are in put together disabled to the extent that they cannot look out for their own interests. As a result, decisions to be made about their treatment may also be taken by courts, especially when a patient has entered a persistent vegetative state (PVS). The decision of the House of Lords in Airedale NHS trust v Bland2 also held that when a patient has entered the PVS stage, then it may be true(a) for the Courts to order the withdrawal of life sustaining treatment because this would be in the best interests of the patient. It would also be lawful to withhold treatment in such cases because it would be in the patients best interests to be allowed to die with dignity3.Where adults are concerned, the question of how far a Court can step in to make decisions about the treatment op tions or welfare of an incapacitated or disabled person were at