Fight over baby's life support divides ethicists

[lily]

Hmmmmm.....

Leigh's disease is a cellular disfunction wherein the powerplant for the cell (the mitochondria) is deficient in some of the materials (enzymes) necessary to convert food and oxygen into energy. The problem is that even though we know what causes the problem, we don't yet have any means correct the genetic defect. Prognosis for patients with Leigh's disease is extremely poor, with only a very few children living past the age of 6 or 7.

That being said, this is not a hopeless situation. Emilio may only have a slim chance to survive, but IMO the state should allow him that chance as long as his legal guardian is willing. The state law in this case would be euthanizing someone with the possibility of some 5 more years of life, and a slim possibility of even a decade or more of life. Granted it's a slim chance, but where there's life, there's hope.

First glance over the Texas law involved and I am under the impression that it doesn't sufficiently protect the interests of the patient. But I'll know more once I dig into the law more.

Thank you for the very sane repsonse to something that is obviously emotional. I think you are the only one I know that is pro-life and can see boths sides of this situation, which is what I was trying to see when I posted this article.

[CockySOB]

Thank you for the very sane repsonse to something that is obviously emotional. I think you are the only one I know that is pro-life and can see boths sides of this situation, which is what I was trying to see when I posted this article.

Yeah, well *you* probably remember my arguments during the Schiavo incident in Florida. Same basic opinion here as there, the difference being that Emilio's mother cannot afford private care while Terri Schiavo's parents were more than willing to pay for private care. I know the two cases carry only a passing semblence, but I thought enough of it to mention it.

BTW, the reason I mentioned Terri Schiavo is that many who supported her husband to turn off life-support were using this same Texas law to support their argument.