If the Welby case falls on the right side of the line drawn by Roman Catholic doctrine, the deeper question is whether Church doctrine draws the line in a place that makes sense. If an incurably ill patient can refuse burdensome treatment, knowing that this refusal will mean his or her death, why should an incurably ill patient who is not being kept alive by any medical treatment, but finds that the illness itself makes life burdensome, be unable to seek assistance in escaping that burden?
如果韦尔比的例子符合罗马天主教的教义，那么还有一个更深层的问题，亦即罗马天主教育如此的教义是否恰当？如果不能治愈的病人可以拒绝成为负担的治疗，并知道这种拒绝将导致其死亡，那为什么不能治愈的病人不要求维持生命，并认为这种疾病本身就是生命的负担，但却无法得到帮助来摆脱这种负担？