Bijani Twins (Quite an old topic, but I would talk about it anyway)

In 2002-2003, controversy sparked when a neurologist, Dr Keith Goh decided to operate on a conjoined twin. It was worsened when the Bijani Twins did not survive the operation and had to pay the final price for their wish to be separated. Some professionals stated that the doctor should not have conducted the operation due to the high risks involved in it. Some feel that the doctor was over-confident and this might have led to the deaths of two innocent lives.

However, despite the tremendous amount of risk involved the doctors decided to continue with the operation. This was due to the wish by the Bijani Twins to be separated and to each lead their own personal lives. In a letter they wrote for their supporters, they were hoping for this day their whole life. Thus, the doctors wishing to grant them their freedom decided to go on with the operation.

I do not think that the fault lies with the doctors at all. They clearly followed the Hippocratic Oath, with the only intention of wanting to cure the twins. Did they have any intention of killing them from the start? No. The choice of being separated lies with the twins, and this is their choice. The doctors may not be able to change this choice, and hence tried to abide by their wishes, and tried their best to do so. The twins clearly knew the risks of the operation. They knew that by wanting to be separated, they might not make it out of the room alive. Despite knowing these terms, they agreed for the doctors to proceed with the surgery.

How can the doctors be blamed for something that they knew had a considerable amount of risk? All surgeries have risks of failing. This surgery has an even higher risk of failing for the simple fact that it was a brain surgery. The brains of the Bijani twins shared the same artery. The artery is almost impossible to separate as they are the main passageways for blood to flow. This considerable risks were already there from the start, and the Bijani twins knew that. How could the doctors be blamed for the death of the twins, when they have already tried their best? How can they be blamed when the proper procedures are already taken, and there was no negligence showed?

Some actually argue that even attempting the surgery in the first place violates medical ethics. However, does this actually matter? Does this violation of ethics matter? Every surgery has a risk of failure. By trying, would that still be classified as unethical? Think of it from another point of view. If it was unethical to do so, would out medical research be so advanced as it really is now? Probably not, for the simple fact that no one would even dare to try and experiment. I am quite certain that despite the surgery to separate the Bijani twins not being a success, the doctors still learn much from it nonetheless.

In conclusion, I do not think that it is justifiable to blame the doctors for the failure of the operation to separate the Bijani twins, as there were really considerable risks and that they tried their best. Furthermore, without even trying, we may not even be able to reach our current level of medical research now.