The Terri Schiavo Case: A Bioethical Analysis

Running head: THE TERRI SCHIAVO CASE1
The Terri Schiavo Case: A Bioethical Analysis
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THE TERRI SCHIAVO CASE

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The Terri Schiavo Case: A Bioethical Analysis


Introduction
Terri Schiavo, now a classical case in end-of-life decision-making, was a 27-year-old woman who, on February 25, 2005, suffered a cardiac arrest induced by an eating disorder (Weijer, 2005). Complicating into what was apparently a permanent cortical inactivity, Schiavo had to be stabilized into a persistent vegetative state (PVS) initially after what was apparently a familial consensus for 3 years. Showing no signs of improvement after a series of standard and experimental clinical interventions , Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, breaking family consensus, decided, as a surrogate decision-maker of an incompetent patient and supported by an earlier statement of Terri (“I don't want to be kept alive on a machine”), Terri's feeding tube should be removed. Immediately, Bob and Mary Schindler, Terri's parents, rejected Michael's decision and a seven-year saga of legal action ensued during which 30 legal opinions supported Michael's decision as Terri's parents continued to request more examinations and clinical interventions. Only on March 31, 2005 Terri was removed from her feeding tube only to pass away.
Bioethical Analysis
Essentially, Terri Schiavo case offers an ideal example of end-of-life choices family members need to make instead of an incompetent family member. For Terri, persistently unconscious, a surrogate decision-maker was needed to make a final decision to end her life or not. Michael was just such decision maker. Initially aligned to Terri's parents (natural) inclination to preserve Terri's life, Michael gave up and, citing enough references from Terri's past, diverged from an earlier consensual agreement to keep Terri alive. For Terri's parents, keeping Terri alive
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