Rodrigues, Paulo; Crokaert, Jasper; Gastmans, Chris
Using palliative sedation for controlling refractory existential suffering (PS-ES) is controversial.
Complicating the debate is that definitions and terminology for existential
suffering are unclear, ambiguous, and imprecise, leading to a lack of consensus
for clinical practice. The authors' analysis
revealed mind-body dualism, existential suffering, refractoriness, terminal
condition, and imminent death as relevant concepts in the ethical debate on
PS-ES. The ethical principles of double effect, proportionality, and the four
principles of biomedical ethics were used in the debate.