A 19-year-old woman with a severeeating disorderhas died two months after a judge ordered that she could be taken off a life-saving treatment.Sir Jonathan Cohen, a Justice for the U.K.’s Court of Protection, announced the “tragic and deeply distressing” death on Friday after the teenager, identified only as BG, fought for autonomy of her body and the right to make her own health decisions, according toSky News.Lawyers for a mental health trust representing the teen previously requested orders “permitting the ceasing of artificial nutrition and hydration” in the Court of Protection, which considers issues regarding people who might not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.GettyThe teen, her parents and a psychiatrist were all in support of the application, as she suffered from mental health issues for more than a decade and was “almost continually” in a hospital for three years, Sky News reported.Sir Jonathan noted that experts agreed “nothing more” could be done to help the young woman before she was taken off treatment in May, per the outlet.“This case is quite unlike any that I have come across,” he said in the ruling. “The distinction lies above all in the fact of the agreement between experts that there is nothing more that can be done to help BG.“The law contains the strong presumption that all steps will be taken to preserve human life unless the circumstances are exceptional. However, the principle is not absolute,” Sir Jonathan added.The ruling has proved significant in the debate about an individual’s rights to make their own life and death decisions.
A 19-year-old woman with a severeeating disorderhas died two months after a judge ordered that she could be taken off a life-saving treatment.
Sir Jonathan Cohen, a Justice for the U.K.’s Court of Protection, announced the “tragic and deeply distressing” death on Friday after the teenager, identified only as BG, fought for autonomy of her body and the right to make her own health decisions, according toSky News.
Lawyers for a mental health trust representing the teen previously requested orders “permitting the ceasing of artificial nutrition and hydration” in the Court of Protection, which considers issues regarding people who might not have the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.
Getty
The teen, her parents and a psychiatrist were all in support of the application, as she suffered from mental health issues for more than a decade and was “almost continually” in a hospital for three years, Sky News reported.
Sir Jonathan noted that experts agreed “nothing more” could be done to help the young woman before she was taken off treatment in May, per the outlet.
“This case is quite unlike any that I have come across,” he said in the ruling. “The distinction lies above all in the fact of the agreement between experts that there is nothing more that can be done to help BG.
“The law contains the strong presumption that all steps will be taken to preserve human life unless the circumstances are exceptional. However, the principle is not absolute,” Sir Jonathan added.
The ruling has proved significant in the debate about an individual’s rights to make their own life and death decisions.
source: people.com
