Right to Die

Europe recently had it's version of the Terri Schiavo case. A brain dead patient was removed from life support after a very publicized litigation. Some claim that these patients are internally conscious, while most doctors claim otherwise. I tend to think the doctors are right, but the evidence is not compelling.

Given that there is not a consensus, the method used to terminate the patients life, withholding food and water, is potentially cruel. Dying of hunger is not painful, but dying of thirst is. Unfortunatley, dying of hunger takes a long time, and is therefore much more expensive.

Seems to me the cost should not enter the equation, and the current method should be discontinued as potentially inhumane.