On Removing Food and Water: Against the Stream

Meilaender argues that the comatose are still persons, that feeding is ordinary human care rather than medical treatment, and that the provision of food is generally neither useless nor excessively burdensome.

Abstract

A controversy has emerged over whether nutrition and hydration may be\nwithheld from the permanently comatose or even from severely demented patients\nwho retain some consciousness. Meilaender fears that a consensus is building\nto permit withholding, based on the premise that such action constitutes\nallowing to die by removing useless and burdensome medical treatment. He\nargues that the comatose are still persons, that feeding is ordinary human\ncare rather than medical treatment, and that the provision of food is\ngenerally neither useless nor excessively burdensome. In addition, since\ncessation of feeding means certain death, it constitutes killing whatever the\nmotive. (KIE abstract)