In relation to the scenario below, discuss relevant ethical and legal issues that relate to decision making regarding treatment vs non-treatment.  

Please note, you are not being asked to take a particular viewpoint/position here, but rather to discuss key issues relevant to the scenario. This is not a discussion about pathophysiology, nor about euthanasia.

Using the ethical principles of beneficence/non-maleficence, discuss issues of treatment vs non-treatment relevant to the above scenario.  You could consider issues such as: 

• futility of treatment

• quality of life

• the decision making process (e.g. competence and consent)

• the law as it relates to this case study (depending on which state or territoryyou live in).

An exhaustive list of arguments is not required, rather, you should address a fewer number of points in depth.

Your arguments/discussion points should be logical and objective, and address relevant issues. To achieve this, avoid "I feel" or "I believe" statements. This is different to the Journal. Write in the third person using formal academic writing.

Referencing:

• Your reference list should contain aminimumof eight quality references that are not more than 5-10 years old, unless you can validate the use of older sources.

• This doesnotinclude Wikipedia or dictionaries.

• Information gained from Internet sites varies greatly in depth and quality of content. Limit internet sites to no more than one, unless additional references are from reputable, on-line refereed journals

Writing

• Write in the third person; avoid personal pronouns such as 'I' and 'you'.

• Avoid long, confusing sentences and check that your tenses (past, present and future) are consistent within the same sentence.

• Avoid posing questions; these detract from the strengths of your discussion.

• Use plain English. It is essential you demonstrate that you understand the nature of the topic.