​​Bioethicists scrutinize Pontifical Academy for Life’s new guidance on withdrawing food, water

​​Bioethicists scrutinize Pontifical Academy for Life’s new guidance on withdrawing food, water 
The Catholic World Report; by Jonah McKeown; 8/16/24 
After the Pontifical Academy for Life (PAFL) last month issued a booklet summarizing the Church’s teaching on a number of bioethical issues, the section on “artificial nutrition and hydration” (ANH) has some observers concerned about what they see as a departure from previous Church teaching. ... The Church’s teaching on this issue was recently in the news in the United States because of the ongoing case of Margo Naranjo, a disabled Texas woman whose parents, who are Catholic, announced last month that they had decided to allow Margo to die by starvation in hospice. They were prevented from doing so after a judge intervened. ... What does the Pontifical Academy's new document say? ... “[T]he doctor is required to respect the will of the patient who refuses them with a conscious and informed decision, also expressed in advance in anticipation of the possible loss of the ability to express himself and choose,” the PAFL wrote. he PAFL noted that Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of considering the whole person, not just individual bodily functions, when making medical decisions.
Editor's Note: This "guidance" and discussion are much more complex than the summarized information above. Click on the title's link to read more.