Britain to cut off life support of infant Alfie Evans soon

[Thermodolia]

I understand that this would be a difficult decision, but I think the most humane decision would be to remove life support.

Because?

Because the kid has no brain. Apparently it’s basically mush at this point. If I was in the parents shoes I would have donated his brain to science so that they can figure out what the hell this disease is so that hopefully someone else won’t have to go through the same thing

[Salus Maior]

How do you know that this potential in Alfie is "completely lacking"? Because there is no known cure for Alfie's condition? How is it that a person's status as a human being is a function of the state of medical science at any given time?

His brain doesn't exist anymore. It's been destroyed by his illness.

Describe to me how you recover from that.

In which case the hospital shouldn't be saying things like "It's in his best interests....". How can a dead body have interests?

Its only contributing to greater confusion.

[The New California Republic]

All jokes aside the kid should be taken off life support.

The problem is that the parents keep pinging back and forth between every court in the land like an air hockey puck, and every time they have been told "NO". The courts have basically been forced to start saying to the parents that they have no right to appeal, because of the number of times they have tried doing that. They even tried applying to the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) to say that "Alfie was being held in the hospital against their will"(!). Their argument was thrown out of course, because of how plainly spurious it is.

[Alvecia]

His brain doesn't exist anymore. It's been destroyed by his illness.

Describe to me how you recover from that.

In which case the hospital shouldn't be saying things like "It's in his best interests....". How can a dead body have interests?

Its only contributing to greater confusion.

Body =/= Brain

[Salus Maior]

Because?

Because the kid has no brain. Apparently it’s basically mush at this point. If I was in the parents shoes I would have donated his brain to science so that they can figure out what the hell this disease is so that hopefully someone else won’t have to go through the same thing

Can't really donate a brain that doesn't exist anymore.

[Ifreann]

His brain doesn't exist anymore. It's been destroyed by his illness.

Describe to me how you recover from that.

In which case the hospital shouldn't be saying things like "It's in his best interests....". How can a dead body have interests?

Its only contributing to greater confusion.

He's still alive.

[Salus Maior]

In which case the hospital shouldn't be saying things like "It's in his best interests....". How can a dead body have interests?

Its only contributing to greater confusion.

Body =/= Brain

His body can't be alive if he doesn't have a brain.

[Salus Maior]

In which case the hospital shouldn't be saying things like "It's in his best interests....". How can a dead body have interests?

Its only contributing to greater confusion.

He's still alive.

Without a brain?

[Thermodolia]

All jokes aside the kid should be taken off life support.

The problem is that the parents keep pinging back and forth between every court in the land like an air hockey puck, and every time they have been told "NO". The courts have basically been forced to start saying to the parents that they have no right to appeal, because of the number of times they have tried doing that. They even tried applying to the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) to say that "Alfie was being held in the hospital against their will"(!). Their argument was thrown out of course, because of how plainly spurious it is.

Ya at this point I would have donated my kids brain and other organs related to the disease to science. In the hope that they can figure out what the hell this disease is so that they can possibly treat it. As sad as I would be I much rather that the discoveries made by my sons organs and brain would help some other families. So that they wouldn’t have to go through with it

[The New California Republic]

Because the kid has no brain. Apparently it’s basically mush at this point. If I was in the parents shoes I would have donated his brain to science so that they can figure out what the hell this disease is so that hopefully someone else won’t have to go through the same thing

Can't really donate a brain that doesn't exist anymore.

Parts of it still exist, enough to study. It is destroyed in the sense that all capacity for sentience and sapience is no longer possible, but still enough to keep basic bodily functions.

[Mechaniza]

Is it humane to cut life support for someone who is only technically alive? In my opinion, Absolutely.
Should the government do it? In my opinion, No.
In my opinion, the government shouldn't interfere with personal issues like keeping your son on life support.

My own decision would be to do what the government is doing. His brain is water and proteins and he should be put to rest. It's a waste of money and resources to keep him "alive".

[Salus Maior]

Can't really donate a brain that doesn't exist anymore.

Parts of it still exist, enough to study. It is destroyed in the sense that all capacity for sentience and sapience is no longer possible, but still enough to keep basic bodily functions.

And from what I understand, this is impossible to recover from with any kind of modern medicine?

[Ifreann]

He's still alive.

Without a brain?

Without much of one and with life support, yes.

[Thermodolia]

He's still alive.

Without a brain?

Technically. Apparently his brain stem still exists. The brain stem controls breathing and circulation. So he’s pretty much in a vegetative state, and will be for the rest of his life

[Thermodolia]

Because the kid has no brain. Apparently it’s basically mush at this point. If I was in the parents shoes I would have donated his brain to science so that they can figure out what the hell this disease is so that hopefully someone else won’t have to go through the same thing

Can't really donate a brain that doesn't exist anymore.

Well it does exist it’s just mush. I’d donate that

[The New California Republic]

Parts of it still exist, enough to study. It is destroyed in the sense that all capacity for sentience and sapience is no longer possible, but still enough to keep basic bodily functions.

And from what I understand, this is impossible to recover from with any kind of modern medicine?

As I have said previously, you can't reconstruct a brain that has been almost totally destroyed. If we could, then people who have been shot in the head or suffered strokes etc would have a near 100% survival rate.

[Alvecia]

Body =/= Brain

His body can't be alive if he doesn't have a brain.

Some of the autonomous bits haven't melted yet.

[Skylus]

I'm sorry, but if they're so damn desperate to save their kid that they're going to see the POPE of all people when practically every single doctor has said their kid is basically dead...

Makes you wonder how the hell they can afford to go to...wait.
Did the Pope offer to pay for the trip himself? Why?
Like what purpose does the trip serve?

THE KID IS BASICALLY DEAD. END OF STORY.

[The New California Republic]

His body can't be alive if he doesn't have a brain.

Some of the autonomous bits haven't melted yet.

I really don't like the way this is worded.

[Alvecia]

I'm sorry, but if they're so damn desperate to save their kid that they're going to see the POPE of all people when practically every single doctor has said their kid is basically dead...

Makes you wonder how the hell they can afford to go to...wait.
Did the Pope offer to pay for the trip himself? Why?
Like what purpose does the trip serve?

THE KID IS BASICALLY DEAD. END OF STORY.

The Church is taking advantage of the situation to push their "pro-life" shtick. The hospital they want to sent him to is basically Vatican run.

[Thermodolia]

I'm sorry, but if they're so damn desperate to save their kid that they're going to see the POPE of all people when practically every single doctor has said their kid is basically dead...

Makes you wonder how the hell they can afford to go to...wait.
Did the Pope offer to pay for the trip himself? Why?
Like what purpose does the trip serve?

THE KID IS BASICALLY DEAD. END OF STORY.

Well the Italian military offered to fly him to Italy. So...

[Alvecia]

Some of the autonomous bits haven't melted yet.

I really don't like the way this is worded.

Some of the autonomous bits remain, for now?

[Ifreann]

I'm sorry, but if they're so damn desperate to save their kid that they're going to see the POPE of all people when practically every single doctor has said their kid is basically dead...

Makes you wonder how the hell they can afford to go to...wait.
Did the Pope offer to pay for the trip himself? Why?
Like what purpose does the trip serve?

The Vatican will get to make a media event of their religiously informed medical ethics by keeping Alfie alive as long as possible.

[Skylus]

Seriously?
Like why does the Church care?
Then again, seems like everybody cares about their own agenda....

Also the parents should be thrown in jail. Seriously. I don't even feel sorry for them now.
Donate what's left of the kid's brain to science to they can figure out this "unknown disease" before it happens to anyone else.

[The New California Republic]

I really don't like the way this is worded.

Some of the autonomous bits remain, for now?

Better. I think it was just the whole "brain melting" thing that made me retch a little.