In the "Comment Note" attached to the two official answers given by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to the United States Episcopal Conference, about "artificial nourishment and hydration", the basic reasons which induced the Vatican body to state the compulsoriness of such supply are explained. "The patients in ‘vegetative state’ it is written in the Note breathe spontaneously, digest food naturally, carry out other metabolic functions, and find themselves in a stable situation. However, they are not able to feed themselves. If they are not artificially supplied with food and liquids, they will die, and the reason for their death will be neither illness, nor the ‘vegetative state’, but just inanition and dehydration". Moreover, the note further explains: "On the other hand, generally speaking, the artificial supply of water and food is not a heavy burden, neither for patients, nor for their relatives. It does not imply excessive costs; it may be afforded by all health systems of average kind; for itself, hospitalization is not necessary, and is proportionate to reaching its goal: preventing the patient’s death by inanition or dehydration. It is not, and is not meant to be, a resolvent therapy, but an ordinary therapy for preserving life". (to be continued)
