Inside the ethics committee. 4/4, Treating smokers.

Radio documentary presented by Joan Bakewell about ethical dilemmas and discussed with the help of a panel. The programme deals with the issue of whether a patient's smoking should ever limit the medical care they receive. The case of a smoker who develops chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is described. Panellists, Deborah Bowman, Professor of Ethics and Law at St George's, University of London, Peter Calverley, Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Liverpool, and Jonathon Tomlinson, a London GP with an interest in medical ethics discuss the issues. Peter Calverley describes the benefits of oxygen therapy in treating COPD and the contentious issue of providing this to smokers. Jonathon Tomlinson goes through the help that can be given to assist smokers to give up, including looking at psychological aspects. Deborah Bowman and the panel look at the moral dimensions of whether people deserve and should be given help. The panel also discuss the dangers of fire through providing oxygen treatment to smokers in their homes and the necessary safeguards that are required. The programme looks at cases which have resulted in accidents and a situation where a patient receiving oxygen treatment, due to old age and poor memory, is put before an ethics committee. The panel again discuss the moral and ethical issues of providing oxygen treatment to smokers and give their opinions of what treatment should be provided.