(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-29 07:22

Respect for human life is the basic principle of a doctor, says an article in People's Daily. The following is an excerpt:

When a pregnant woman had a difficult childbirth last week, her husband refused to sign his name on the Caesarean operation agreement. Though doctors did their best to save the woman's life, she died. The woman's mother is now preparing to sue her son-in-law. This case has sparked heated debate.

People are asking who is responsible for the taking of two lives (the woman's baby died too). From a legal standpoint, the hospital did nothing wrong since the woman's husband refused to sign his name to the operation agreement.

When doctors tell family members of a patient's potential risks, they can do nothing but respect the wishes of the family. However, from a moral perspective, it is rather cruel for doctors to stand by and see two lives lost through observing the rules.

In practice, the law and morality are often in conflict. In April, a similar tragedy occurred in Inner Mongolia. A woman on the operation table suddenly needed a blood transfusion, but the hospital did not have enough blood in stock.

When relatives said they would donate blood, the hospital refused their request because "private blood donation is illegal". The women died of a massive hemorrhage.

No system is perfect. But we have to observe the bottom line between the system and life: life is above all. The enforcement of any law should not sacrifice a life at any cost. It goes against the initial intention of the law.

In China, a signature, by law, is required before an operation. But under some special conditions, the enforcers of the law should take a humane approach. When patients or their relative are not able to make a rational choice, doctors should offer advice.

No matter what the conditions are, doctors are breaking the hippocratic oath if they refuse to help a dying patient.

(China Daily 11/29/2007 page10)