Sociology

Health care ethics are a topic of serious discussion after the Terri Schiavos case that attracted great publicity. Terri Schiavo went into vegetative state in 1990. She died in 2005, thirteen days after she was disconnected from the life support system. A long legislative battle was fought between her husband, Michael Schiavo and her parents, the Schindlers.

The competing rights in this case are Mrs. Schiavos right to live and her right to be free from invasive medical procedures. No one can take away their life at their own free will but they have a right to be free from invasions of any kind and live peacefully. That particular right of an individual cannot be contested even by hisher own parents. There is no way Terri could live as well as be free from invasive medical procedures.

The decision had to be made for Terri as she was in persistent vegetative state and could not make it herself.
Till the end, Michael Schiavo continued as Terris guardian much against her parents efforts to legally remove him. Her parents wanted to continue to give her medical support. Michael argued in court that Terri wouldnt want to live on life support. Witnesses from both the sides gave their statements and finally he won. The parents struggled for a very long time to save their daughters life which was finally lost on 31042005 at the age of 41.