Subject : If the Medication Harms the Patient, there is no Sin in Stopping it

Fatwa Number : 967

Date : 04-01-2011

Classified : Medicine & seeking treatment

Fatwa Type : Search Fatawaa

Question :

My brother had heart surgery, which produced more severe disease symptoms: brain thromboses, lung failure, low platelets,  and internal hemorrhaging. Doctors told us that there isn`t likely to be significant progress, and his condition will be steadily worsening. They even suggested not to give him any new medications because they will cause more harm and further complicate his condition, and that it is better to keep him as he is. Should we agree to this?

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

 

At first, we pray that Allah blesses your brother with a speedy recovery. In case trustworthy doctors decided that giving him medications will only cause more harm and produce more severe disease symptoms, and that the best course of action is to stop the medications, then there is no sin in that. However, this is provided that the decision is made by a committee of trustworthy medical doctors, and neither the doctors nor the patient`s family are considered sinful since they have done their best to save the patient, but the medications didn`t work. This is attested to in the following verse: "On no soul doth God Place a burden greater than it can bear." {Al-Baqarah, 286}. And Allah the Almighty Knows Best. 

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