Law and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law and ethics - Essay Example There are instances when the paramedics are faced with extreme pressure, especially when there are patients who refuse to be treated and withhold their consent. This is the exact situation in the case at bar, where the patient Jack refuses any medical treatment and does not want to be taken to the hospital. Hence, the paramedic attending to Jack should be able to practice the â€Å"doctrine of necessity†. â€Å"The Medical Treatment Act of 1988 provides a provision for the competent adult to refuse medical treatment even if the refusal may place their life at risk† (Steer, 2007). In the case of Malette V. Shulman, [1991] 2 Med LR 162, Donnelly J., pointed out that â€Å"the right to refuse treatment was an inherent  component of the supremacy of the patient's right over his own body not  premised on the risks of refusal. He further where a competent adult rejects and medical treatment, â€Å"the courts cannot be dictated by its view of what would be in the best  interests of the patient, but must look to the validity of the refusal in  terms of the capacity of the patient to give such refusal and to determine whether it  must be respected†.