Erick Munoz Sues to Take Marlise Munoz off Life Support, as She Wanted

[Content Note: War on agency; misogyny; end-of-life decisions]

Last month, I mentioned the case of Marlise Munoz, a Texas woman who is currently brain dead and being kept alive by a ventilator, against her stated wishes, because she is pregnant, and Texas law "prohibits withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment from a pregnant patient, regardless of her wishes."

Marlise's husband, Erick Munoz, is now suing the hospital, but of course John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth has responded by saying it's complying with state law. Experts, however, "familiar with the Texas law say the hospital is incorrectly applying the statute because Munoz would be considered legally and medically dead."

Marlise Munoz's body is literally just an incubator being artificially kept "alive" against her and her family's wishes.
Erick Munoz has said a doctor told him his wife is considered brain-dead. Munoz says that he and his wife are both paramedics and are very familiar with end-of-life issues. He says his wife had made her wishes clear to him that she would not want life support in this kind of situation. Marlise Munoz's parents agree.
There are people who protest when I say, again and again, that fetuses are valued more highly than the people who carry them. But here it is.

[H/T to Dr. Jane Chi.]

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