Nutrition and Hydration: Moral and Pastoral Reflections

Committee for Pro-Life Activities National Conference of Catholic Bishops

1. Introduction

2. Moral Principles

3. Is the withholding or withdrawing of medically assisted nutrition and hydration always a direct killing?

4. Is medically assisted nutrition and hydration a form of "treatment" or "care"?

5. What are the benefits of medically assisted nutrition and hydration?

6. What are the burdens of medically assisted nutrition and hydration?

7. What role should "quality of life" play in our decisions?

8. Do persistently unconscious patients represent a special case?

9. Who should make decisions about medically assisted nutrition and hydration?

10. Conclusion

11. Appendix

12. Notes