Thousands sign up to ‘dying well’ pilot program
SEOUL — More than 3,000 people have signed papers to forgo artificial lifeextending treatment when they become incurably ill, in a pilot program leading up to South Korea’s first “dying well” law.
The Bill, passed in Parliament early this year after nearly two decades of debate, will go into effect in February.
The trial, which started on Oct 23 after months of preparation for end-of-life care, will allow the authorities and hospitals to test public reaction and check what measures are lacking, said Vice Minister of Health Kwon Deok-cheol.
“We will respect a patient’s will to die with dignity and do our best to guarantee the patient’s well-being,” he said in a statement.
At least seven people who joined the trial, conducted over three months at 13 hospitals around the country, have since died.
The first is a man in his 50s, who died of gastrointestinal cancer last month. He had signed a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment, which allowed him to reject four life-prolonging treatments — cardiopulmonary resuscitation, kidney dialysis, mechanical ventilation and cancer medication.
Death is a taboo subject in South Korea’s society, which values respect for the elderly and caring for aged parents.
The dying well law has been hotly debated since two doctors were convicted of assisted murder and given suspended prison terms in 1997 for pulling the plug on a brain-damaged patient at the request of his wife.
Attitudes started shifting as the country tackled problems arising from a fast-ageing society and increasing elderly suicide rates.
A 2009 landmark ruling by the Supreme Court for a hospital to respect a family’s wish to remove life support for a 76-year-old comatose woman paved the way for a dying well movement in the country.
Surveys have shown that over 80 to 90 percent of South Koreans do not want to receive life-prolonging treatment if they know they are beyond hope of recovery.
Cancer is the top cause of death in South Korea. More than 78,000 people died of it last year, accounting for 27.8 percent of total deaths, according to Statistics Korea.
Heart-related diseases are second (10.6 percent), followed by neurological illnesses (8.3 percent).
The dying well law was passed on Jan 8, despite criticism from civic and religious groups which said it is immoral. A similar legislation was passed in Singapore in 1996.
Pathology professor Yu Eun-sil of Seoul’s Asan Medical Centre, who has written books about how to die well, said South Koreans should start opening up about the topic of death. In interviews with local media, she voiced hopes that the law can spark more discussion.
Doctor Lee Dong-hyoun from Kangbuk Samsung Hospital told The Straits Times that the new law would “allow patients to make choices about their life and prevent excessive medical spending”.