PASSAGEFOUR(1)TheSupremeCourt'sdecisionsonphysician-assistedsuicidecarryimportantimplicationsforhowmedicineseekstorelievedyingpatientsofpainandsuffering.(2)Althoughitruledthatthereisnoconstitutionalrighttophysician-assistedsuicide,theCourtineffectsupportedthemedicalprincipleof"doubleeffect",acenturies-oldmoralprincipleholdingthatanactionhavingtwoeffects—agoodonethatisintendedandaharmfulonethatisforeseen—ispermissibleiftheactorintendsonlythegoodeffect.(3)Doctorshaveusedthatprincipleinrecentyearstojustifyusinghighdosesofmorphinetocontrolterminallyillpatients'pain,eventhoughincreasingdosageswilleventuallykillthepatient.(4)NancyDubler,directorofMontefioreMedicalCenter,contendsthattheprinciplewillshielddoctorswho"untilnowhavevery,verystronglyinsistedthattheycouldnotgivepatientssufficientmediationtocontroltheirpainifthatmighthastendeath."(5)GeorgeAnnas,chairofthehealthlawdepartmentatBostonUniversity,maintainsthat,aslongasadoctorprescribesadrugforalegitimatemedicalpurpose,thedoctorhasdonenothingillegalevenifthepatientusesthedrugtohastendeath."It'slikesurgery,"hesays."Wedon'tcallthosedeathshomicidesbecausethedoctorsdidn'tintendtokilltheirpatients,althoughtheyriskedtheirdeath.Ifyou'reaphysician,youcanriskyourpatient'ssuicideaslongasyoudon'tintendtheirsuicide."(6)Onanotherlevel,manyinthemedicalcommunityacknowledgethattheassisted-suicidedebatehasbeenfueledinpartbythedespairofpatientsforwhommodemmedicinehasprolongedthephysicalagonyofdying.(7)JustthreeweeksbeforetheCourt'srulingonphysician-assistedsuicide,theNationalAcademyofScience(NAS)releasedatwo-volumereport,ApproachingDeath:ImprovingCareattheEndofLife.Itidentifiestheundertreatmentofpainandtheaggressiveuseof"ineffectualandforcedmedicalproceduresthatmayprolongandevendishonortheperiodofdying"asthetwinproblemsofend-of-lifecare.(8)Theprofessionistakingstepstorequireyoungdoctorstotraininhospices,totestknowledgeofaggressivepainmanagementtherapies,todevelopaMedicarebillingcodeforhospital-basedcare,andtodevelopnewstandardsforassessingandtreatingpainattheendoflife.(9)Annassayslawyerscanplayakeyroleininsistingthatthesewell-meaningmedicalinitiativestranslateintobettercare.“Largenumbersofphysiciansseemunconcernedwiththepaintheirpatientsareneedlesslyandpredictablysuffering,”totheextentthatitconstitutes“systematicpatientabuse。”Hesaysmedicallicensingboards“mustmakeitclear...thatpainfuldeathsarepresumptivelyonesthatareincompetentlymanagedandshouldresultinlicensesuspension.”39.Whichofthefollowingbestdefinestheword“aggressive"(line3,paragraph7)?
【答案】 A 【考点】 词义题。 【分析】 这个单词的所在句“It identifies the under treatment of pain and the aggressive use of ineffectual and for...