Identify the ethical issues in this case.

The case’s ethical questions center on whether the doctor had a valid reason to assert that Jane Doe had little chance of recovering from the care the son wanted restarted and whether the son’s threat to sue the doctor over the withdrawal of care was appropriate.

Do you think the kid has a case to bring a lawsuit against the doctor?

Given that Jane Doe made the decision to forego further treatment, in my view, the son lacks a sufficient basis for a lawsuit against the doctor. An occurrence that contributed to her becoming bedridden and being admitted into the nursing home for terminal care. Furthermore, as per the understanding of the physician, Jane having been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer was given only six months to live. However, for the period she had been under treatment, she only became worse. Continuing with care would therefore not yield any progress.

What are the possible solutions to this case?

The possible solution to the case is the son being made aware of what inoperable pancreatic cancer really and the fact that there is a minimal success in continued care. Moreover, it was Jane’s earlier decision to discontinue the treatment, and ideally, the patient equally has a right of determining whether to have treatment or not.

What might the physician have done to prevent the confrontation? What might the patient have done?

To avoid the confrontation, the physician would have opted to continue with care even though s/he knew there was a little success from it. For the patient, it would have been appropriate if she talked to the son to make him understand that it was her initial decision to discontinue the treatment and thus, the care was not equally beneficial.