Is a Feeding Tube Extraordinary Means?
Here are the final ethical issues that lay the necessary foundation before concluding whether Terri Schiavo’s husband has the right to remove her feeding tube. There are other issues and ideas that are part of the discussion, but I’ve tried to present the fundamentals. Most other questions and challenges can be decided using these tools. The next distinction has to do with the kind of treatment Terri is receiving. Is it ordinary or extraordinary? Here’s how you decide. “Ordinary means” are medicines, treatments, and operations that offer a reasonable hope of benefit without placing undue burdens on the patient. An example would be providing insulin to a diabetic, or performing surgery to correct a cleft lip for a newborn. Ordinary means are obligatory to provide; it’s never morally justified to withhold or withdraw ordinary treatment. “Extraordinary means” of treatment are those that involve excessive burdens on the patient and don’t offer reasonable hope of benefit. Extraordinary mean
