Hang on to life
From Mr Sam Schulman Sir: Andrew Gimson's expert ('In praise of the health service', 2 February) chose an odd measurement to use when comparing British and US standards for medical treatment: 'disability-adjusted life-expectancy (meaning the number of years you can expect to live in good health)'.
Medicine is also a great help after perfect health has ended. Mr Gimson is silent about the greater number of years Americans can survive in poor health compared with Britons. This is a crucial distinction. For myself. I have left careful instructions to my family to follow in the event of illness.
Should I ever be completely dependent on medical technology, without hope of recovery, and — by continuing artificially to hang on to life — draining the family finances and ruining the lives of my children, they are to carry on with my life support willy-nilly.
Sam Schttlman
New York, USA
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