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Moral ethical issues on euthanasia
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Euthanasia or mercy killing is ending the life of a patient who is very ill or injured. It is a topic that has been debated by many people. In many countries it is illegal to perform euthanasia, however, the province of Quebec has recently legalized Euthanasia. The Government of Canada is currently considering legalizing it. If euthanasia becomes authorized, many people will also distressed. The Government of Canada should not consider legalizing euthanasia because it violates medical ethics, it ignores religious beliefs, and patients under stress might make irrational decisions.
Firstly, The Government of Canada should not consider legalizing euthanasia because the very principles of medical ethics are ignored. There are many medical principles
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Many of the testaments in the bible refuse suicide and murder. Since 67% of the Canadian population claims to worship God, Most Canadians know that murder is forbidden in the bible. Exodus 20:13 states “You shall not murder”, Matthew 5:21 states “You have heard that it was said to people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’, and Psalm 31:15 states “God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die. We should say with the psalmist, “My times are in your hands” These quotes from the bible states that suicide is equal to murder and it will be punished. Thus, religious beliefs is another reason that The Government of Canada should not legalize …show more content…
The patient might not be in the state of mind where they can make a clear and sensible decision. Some things that cause people to come to an unreasonable conclusion are mental complications, such as depression. Depression can lead to individuals wanting to commit suicide because they feel hopeless. If these individuals are seen as fit to make a life changing decision, they could take advantage of the availability of euthanasia. In addition, bias from the patient’s doctor could also persuade the patient to choose euthanasia, since the only source of medical information is from their doctor. The European Scientific Journal states that “ Recent studies have reported that about 70% of actual decisions to end a life by euthanasia have been hasty and irrational, and contrary to general perceptions, depression and loneliness rather than pain and suffering seem to be the primary factors motivating patients' interest in euthanasia. Also patients can be strongly influenced by doctors as the sole source of their information about illness, prognosis and possible interventions, so despair can easily be communicated to both the patient and family by a doctor expressing pessimism about a prognosis.” Therefore, euthanasia should not be legalized because of both mental complications and doctor bias.
The Government of Canada should not consider legalizing euthanasia because it violates medical ethics, it ignores
Another reason a patient may opt to euthanasia is to die with dignity. The patient, fully aware of the state he or she is in, should be able choose to die in all their senses as opposed to through natural course. A patient with an enlarged brain tumor can choose to die respectively, instead of attempting a risky surgery that could leave the patient in a worse condition then before the operation, possibly brain-dead. Or a patient with early signs of Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may wish to be granted euthanization before their disease progresses and causes detrimental loss of sentimental memories. Ultimately it should be the patient’s choice to undergo a risky surgery or bite the bullet, and laws prohibiting euthanasia should not limit the patient’s options.
Reflecting on Canada's view on euthanasia, a study was performed to ask the general population on how they felt about euthanasia and their opinion of euthanasia being illegal in Canada. Findings by Wilson et al., (2013) showed a majority of people believed that with properly followed guidelines, euthanasia should be legalized in Canada. This study found that although euthanasia is considered illegal in Canada, there were very few criminal convictions of people when following through with euthanasia. The general population felt that the process of euthanasia was monitored very well and that with appropriate steps it was not a big issue as it is perceived to be. Als...
Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide has been a hot topic of debate for quite some time now. Some believe it to be immoral, while others see nothing wrong with it what so ever. Regardless what anyone believes, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal for physicians and patients. Death is a personal situation in life. By government not allowing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide they are interfering and violating patient’s personal freedom and human rights! Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have the power to save the lives of family members and other ill patients. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal however, there should be strict rules and guidelines to follow and carry out by both the patient and physician. If suicide isn’t a crime why should euthanasia and assisted suicide? Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should be legal and the government should not be permitted to interfere with death.
According to Longman dictionary euthanasia means “the deliberate killing of a person who is very ill ‘(terminal illness)’ and going to die, in order to stop them suffering.” There are two different types of euthanasia; active and passive. Euthanasia is legalized in some parts of the world like Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, Oregon, Montana and Washington. Euthanasia should not be legalized in Canada because it is not lawful, ethical, and violates Canada’s respect for every religion.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is one of the guiding moral documents of Canada, which states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.” (Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982) In the opinion of the Supreme Court, current law infringes upon section 7 and this means that the ban on assisted suicide unjustly and immorally denies the human right to life and liberty and therefore, it is immoral to ban physician-assisted suicide outright. Law and ethics are closely related and often what is legal is ethical and what is illegal is unethical. (American Medical Association, 1994) Denying a mentally competent and terminally ill patient the right to a quick, painless and dignified death would be blatantly disregarding the foundational medical principal of autonomy. This would also make sense from a libertarian standpoint, as the person would be able to live their life the way that they want to with almost no harm to others. Research shows that doctors often agree with physician-assisted suicide and believe it is the moral choice especially in cases where the patient is terminally ill and has no treatment options
Who owns your life? In the case of Canadians, the choice to die is not in your hands…unless you decide to break the law. Sue Rodriguez, 42, from British Columbia, fought the Supreme Court of Canada, challenging the prohibition against Euthanasia. She lost to a vote of five to four. Sue later took her life with the help of an anonymous doctor. Ironically, Canada was founded upon the principles of rights, freedoms, and dignity. Why do our rights end when faced with Euthanasia? Does freedom from suffering not apply? How does artificially prolonging life respect human dignity? The act of Euthanasia poses many questions because there is an element of control. The following paper will examine why the control should be in the hands of the individual: Fundamentally, controlling one’s life should be an independent choice; additionally, the majority of Canadians are in favour of euthanasia; moreover, many arguments against euthanasia are invalid.
Doctors prefer to never have to euthanize a patient. It is a contradiction of everything they have been taught for a doctor to euthanize someone, because a doctor’s job is to do everything in their power to keep the patient alive, not assist them in suicide. The majority of doctors who specialize in palliative care, a field focused on quality of life for patients with severe and terminal illnesses, think legalizing assisted suicide is very unnecessary. This is due to the fact that if patients do not kill themselves, they will end up dying on a ventilator in the hospital under the best possible care available, with people around them trying to keep them as comfortable as possible. Legalized euthanasia everywhere has been compared to going down a slippery slope. Officials believe that it could be done over excessively and the fear of assisted suicide numbers rising greatly is a great fear. This is why euthanasia is such a controversial subject worldwide. But, even though it is a very controversial subject, euthanasia is humane. Every doctor also has a say in whether or not they choose to euthanize a patient or not, leaving only the doctors who are willing to do this type of practice, for euthanizing patients. Medicine and drugs prescribed by a doctor for pain or suffering can not always help a person to the extent they desire, even with the help of doctors
As patients come closer to the end of their lives, certain organs stop performing as well as they use to. People are unable to do simple tasks like putting on clothes, going to the restroom without assistance, eat on our own, and sometimes even breathe without the help of a machine. Needing to depend on someone for everything suddenly brings feelings of helplessness much like an infant feels. It is easy to see why some patients with terminal illnesses would seek any type of relief from this hardship, even if that relief is suicide. Euthanasia or assisted suicide is where a physician would give a patient an aid in dying. “Assisted suicide is a controversial medical and ethical issue based on the question of whether, in certain situations, Medical practioners should be allowed to help patients actively determine the time and circumstances of their death” (Lee). “Arguments for and against assisted suicide (sometimes called the “right to die” debate) are complicated by the fact that they come from very many different points of view: medical issues, ethical issues, legal issues, religious issues, and social issues all play a part in shaping people’s opinions on the subject” (Lee). Euthanasia should not be legalized because it is considered murder, it goes against physicians’ Hippocratic Oath, violates the Controlled
Euthanasia has been an ongoing debate for many years. Everyone has an opinion on why euthanasia should or should not be allowed but, it is as simple as having the choice to die with dignity. If a patient wishes to end his or her life before a disease takes away their quality of life, then the patient should have the option of euthanasia. Although, American society considers euthanasia to be morally wrong euthanasia should be considered respecting a loved one’s wishes. To understand euthanasia, it is important to know the rights humans have at the end of life, that there are acts of passive euthanasia already in practice, and the beneficial aspects.
Thus, despite the arguments against euthanasia, patients’ lives should not be deprived of well-being, comfort or dignity. “In the last stage of life, every person is entitled to a high standard of care and a stable environment in which his or her privacy is respected” (Policy Options, 2013). A lot of the time, patients with terminal illnesses are thought of as ‘better off dead’ or ‘not the person they used to be’. This is all the more the reason why euthanasia should be legalized in Canada. The government should relax current laws and allow doctors to participate in assisted suicide if need be and are willing. If people suffering with terminal illnesses want to die peacefully and not endure painful procedures or live off machines whilst also helping society out money wise, the option should be available.
Today, medical interventions have made it possible to save or prolong lives, but should the process of dying be left to nature? (Brogden, 2001). Phrases such as, “killing is always considered murder,” and “while life is present, so is hope” are not enough to contract with the present medical knowledge in the Canadian health care system, which is proficient of giving injured patients a chance to live, which in the past would not have been possible (Brogden, 2001). According to Brogden, a number of economic and ethical questions arise concerning the increasing elderly population. This is the reason why the Canadian society ought to endeavor to come to a decision on what is right and ethical when it comes to facing death. Uhlmann (1998) mentions that individuals’ attitudes towards euthanasia differ. From a utilitarianism point of view – holding that an action is judged as good or bad in relation to the consequence, outcome, or end result that is derived from it, and people choosing actions that will, in a given circumstance, increase the overall good (Lum, 2010) - euthanasia could become a means of health care cost containment, and also, with specific safeguards and in certain circumstances the taking of a human life is merciful and that all of us are entitled to end our lives when we see fit.
"Whose life is it, anyway?" A Plea stated by the late Sue Rodrigues. Rogrigues, a high-profile, terminally-ill resident of British Columbia, Canada, suffered from a terminally ill disease (Robinson, 2001). She was helped to commit suicide by a physician in violation of Canadian law. Many people, like Rodrigues, want to be in control of their final days. Terminally ill patients have a terminal disease and do not want to diminish their assets by incurring large medical costs as their death approaches (Robinson, 2001). As an act of generosity, they would rather die sooner, and pass on their assets to their beneficiaries. A serious disorder or disease has adversely affected their quality of life to the point where they no longer wish to continue living (Johansen, 2000). Myself, along with many other United States citizens believe that euthanasia should be legalized within the United States for reasons concerning medical advances, the severity of pain a person is in once diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the basic fact that a person’s life is their own life and no one else’s.
Williams, J. R., Lowy, F., & Sawyer, D. M. (1993). Canadian physicians and euthanasia: 3. Arguments and beliefs . Ethical Issues, 10, 1699-1702.
The world is full of people, some of which are suffering every day from pain. Even with the advancements that have been made with medicine, it’s not enough to cure many diseases or to heal a person’s pain. Euthanasia is commonly referred to as a “mercy killing”. It is the intentional act of putting a person to death quietly and painlessly who has an incurable or painful disease, it is intended to be an act of mercy. According to (ANA, 2013), Euthanasia is the act of putting to death someone suffering from a painful and prolonged illness or injury.
Euthanasia is the process of killing a patient with the intention of relieving their suffering and pain. It is also commonly known as mercy killing, and many often do not agree with it most especially in cases where a terminal illness is not inclusive. While euthanasia has been legalized in certain states in the United States such as Oregon, a lot of opposition has arisen as to whom so legible to receiving this treatment.