Health experts back verdict

The Supreme Court’s judgment was accepted by health experts in the city on Friday by stating that the right to ‘Die with Dignity’ should rest with each person.

The Supreme Court on Friday recognised that a terminally-ill patient can write a 'living will' that permits doctors to withdraw life support, saying a person with no will to live shouldn’t suffer in a comatose state.

Dr A. Bharath Prakash, the secretary of IMA, Telangana said that they will fully support the judgment as patients in a coma stage more often than not, cannot be in a better position and they become a burden for the family and in many terminal cases, there is no hope of getting better.

However, experts have also stated that there should be no misuse of the law.

“The judgment also talks about a medical board being constituted to look into each case specifically which will lead to faster decision making and it is important to ensure that ‘living wills’ are not made for the benefit of others,” Dr Bharath said.

It is important to focus on individual cases rather than personal faith i.e. religion. Mostly is the patient’s attenders who agree to keep patients in a vegetative state. In most cases, even the best medical care does not increase their quality of life but our society is afraid to play God. They cannot emotionally accept that they have to pull the plug. - DR VIJAY ANAND REDDY, director of Apollo Cancer Institute