How is is possible for docters you are involved in administering the death penalty ie with leathal injection..
isn't there are conflict because of the hippocratic oath???
Aren't doctors meant to save lifes not kill them??
Are doctors who work in the administering of the death penalty allowed to call themselves doctors?
2007-08-03 02:37:59 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Maryn@ Did you read my question.. 'DUH' I said 'involved in' Not actually adminsterinng..
There still is a conflict because they are working towards death.
2007-08-03 03:02:07 · update #1
This is a good question and it does raise a critical issue. Executions were halted in California because the doctors believes it violations the Hippocratic oath. In South Carolina (I believe), the lethal injection was found to be inhumane and the Courts ordered it be administered by a doctor. We know of a couple of cases this year, one from Florida, where the lethal injection was neither quick or painless. Executions were stopped for a time in Florida for that issue. It is a violation of the Hippocratic oath and some state medical associations have specifically ordered doctors not to administer the lethal injection. Then we find courts that order only doctors to do so. That certainly puts a doctor in the position of losing his license versus being in contempt of court. Sure a lab tech can administer an injection, but a lab tech cannot deal with an issue of an ineffective injection. I think the state of Florida tried to justify the problem by saying the defendant was obese and had just eaten a large meal. Kind of weak argument to me. Prisoners always get a last meal of there choice, so that makes no sense. If a defendant is obese, they knew that before the execution and should have changed the dosage of whatever poison they use. If you google doctors + lethal injections, you'll find more information on this. I cannot equate this to abortion. I understand the abortion issue, but abortion is legal in this country and that issue plays no part in answering your question. Your question does not ask about abortions.
2007-08-03 03:00:45 · answer #1 · answered by David M 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
There is a conflict and that is part of the controversy about lethal injection. Rereading your question, and the answers, I see that the answerer just below mine has written about the conflict. For more about this, I suggest you google Dr. Arthur Zitrin, who has been very much involved in the struggle to keep doctors from violating the hippocratic oath by participating in executions.
2007-08-03 02:54:12 · answer #2 · answered by Susan S 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Like, duh. Most states do not have a physician inject the lethal drug for exactly this reason, although they do have a doctor there to determine the person is legally dead. Usually it's a technician able to find veins (kind of like the lab person who takes blood samples) who inserts the needle, and a different person who injects the toxic substance.
ETA: I didn't read the question as carefully as I could have, so my apologies for the "duh" comment. I see no ethical problem after an execution has been completed (without the physician's assistance) with a doctor being present to determine that death has indeed taken place.
However, I do have a huge ethical problem unrelated to the Hippocratic Oath with capital punishment in general...
2007-08-03 02:44:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
There will be no death penalty for doctors, as long as the life can be classified as substandard.
A extremely sick individual who does not have the quality of life that they or someone who speaks for them thinks is high enough can chose to end the life.
It is part of the Pro-Death initiative.
2007-08-03 02:48:21 · answer #4 · answered by heThatDoesNotWantToBeNamed 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think you have to take each case individually. If i am terminally ill and in pain, have tried everything possible, then i would like to find a doctor who can put me to sleep as humanely as possible. Of course everybody is entitled to their opinion, and there are no wrongs or rights in this one and this is my opinion.
2007-08-03 03:49:54 · answer #5 · answered by Iqbal 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
does this apply to abortion as well.
do a dna test as early as you want. not the woman's dna.
Edit: hippocratic oath: "above all do no harm."
abortion does SO MUCH HARM on so many levels.
2007-08-03 02:41:50 · answer #6 · answered by daddio 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
they use doctors to make sure it is "humane"...do i favor the death penalty?...no
2007-08-03 02:42:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋