Woman Euthanized after Faking Autism Diagnosis

[Anicette]

They are very weird in England about autism. And possibly in France as well.

In France we are at the very beginning in taking care of autistic people and take them in ordinary schools, etc. But we slowly progress…

What is a sad irony is that we institutionalized our French autistic people/ or people with multiple disabilities in Belgium because we don’t have any solutions here, apart leave them at the custody of their parents.

But we don’t have any legal euthanazy or assisted suicide contrary to Belgium, regardless of situations. Until now.

 

[Annie]

I agree with you about the solution-- even if a person has a condition which in itself causes physical or mental pain, the solution is for us to be supportive and contribute to making life more worth living for the suffering.

I see part of the justification for euthanasia as being that we are simply shortening the end of life, but what you say certainly adds to the slippery slope!

 

[blackforest]

We have assisted suicide in Oregon. It’s covered by insurance as well as OHP (Oregon’s Medicaid). Utilitarianism by assisted suicide can happen under any kind of health care coverage system.

 

[blackforest]

But the question is not its ‘abuse’. It is about its ‘use’. ‘Abuses’, as Catholics well know, are not a good basis on which to judge the intended and proper use of something.

Actually, assessing the unintended consequences and potential and real abuses is a fair way of evaluating a social policy.

I’m not sure what you mean by “as Catholics well know,” unless you’re equivocating on the word “abuses.”

 

[Annie]

Private insurance companies would do the same, but they don’t have the authority to pass laws like the state does.

Possibly a good argument against government-funded health care?

 

[Annie]

To argue against intrinsically immoral legislation by the possible abuses is not sufficient.

 

[theCardinalbird]

This is horrendous. I never liked the idea of doctor assisted suicide.

 

[blackforest]

Private insurance companies would do the same, but they don’t have the authority to pass laws like the state does.

Private insurers can and do enact policies that very much affect the kind of medical choices available to the insured. And they do so with less accountability than elected officials.

I didn’t really want this discussion to turn into a health care coverage debate, however, largely because I think that as Catholics, we need to be vigilant for utilitarianism lurking behind multiple corners - private, public, and otherwise.

To argue against intrinsically immoral legislation by the possible abuses is not sufficient.

Probably not, but it’s definitely an angle worth considering.

 

[ConfusedLucy]

With regards the institutions, autism can be very severe and it may not be possible for someone with a severe case to live in a family home or independently.