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Legal and ethical issues surrounding euthanasia
Arguments favouring euthanasia
Legal and ethical issues surrounding euthanasia
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There comes a time in life when someone dies in the family, whether it be a parent or a close relative. I got the chance to experience the hardship when I was 9 years old, when my mother died of cancer. It was a very slow, but not painful death. Back then, I did not even know the meaning or that there was such a thing as Euthanasia.
Euthanasia is a constant debate between our society and is causing problems for the public and health care providers since it is a matter about life and death. Euthanasia is “the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy” (Merriam-Webster). It is considered painless killing of a person who has a painful incurable disease or incapacitating disorder. Is it really painless killing when it is the doctors or health care professionals that have to euthanize the patient something that goes against what they were taught. Euthanasia can also be carried out by administering a lethal injection or by failing to keep the feeding tube or breathing tube going. Would it really be painless if someone stopped feeding or helping someone breathe?
Terri Schiavo, a woman with brain damage died on March 31, 2003 after her feeding tube was disconnected. She had been living with brain damage after she collapsed due to medical malpractice against one of her doctors. Her case touched many and had them wondering if it was okay to “to withdraw life support from patients unable to express their own wishes” (Kenneth Jost). Her tube was contemplated on being removed two times before it was finally removed after the third time. Three times she underwent the process of getting food cut off from her. ...
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Pereira, J. "Legalizing Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide: The Illusion of Safeguards and Controls." Current Oncology 18.2 (2011): 38-45. CQResearcher. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.
"Life's Dominion: An Argument About Abortion, Euthanasia, and Individual Freedom (Google EBook)." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Mar. 2014.
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Any discussion that pertains to the topic of euthanasia must first include a clear definition of the key terms and issues. With this in mind, it should be noted that euthanasia includes both what has been called physician-assisted "suicide" and voluntary active euthanasia. Physician-assisted suicide involves providing lethal medication(s) available to the patient to be used at a time of the patient’s own choosing (Boudreau, p.2, 2014). Indifferently, voluntary active euthanasia involves the physician taking an active role in carrying out the patient’s request, and usually involves intravenous delivery of a lethal substance. Physician-assisted suicide is felt to be easier psychologically for the physician and patient than euthanasia because
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Shortly after these debates details about the Nazi death camps of World War II and the role physicians played in the camps silenced supporters of euthanasia. As medical technology continued to advance and the availability and use of life support sparked a new debate about euthanasia. Patients have the right to refuse medical care even care that would sustain life (Emanuel, 1994). Currently this is referred to as a DNR or Do Not Resuscitate order. The right of patients to deny care calls to question if the patient can choose to die why can the not request euthanasia. In 1975 Karen Ann Quinlan lapsed into a coma after taking tranquilizers and drinking alcohol then slipped into a “chronic persistent vegetative state” Karen’s parents requested that physicians remove her life support and let her pass. The case was appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court the parents argued that life sustaining treatments implicated the patients right to privacy. Roe V. Wade established a woman’s right to privacy in her right to terminate a pregnancy. The result of the Quinlan’s case was that they could remove Karen’s life support (Doerr, 1997). In 1990 the Patient Self Determination Act
Pereira, J. (2011). Legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide: The illusion of safeguards and controls. Retrieved November 29, 2016, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070710/
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Puckett , P., Hinds, P., & Milligan, M. M. (1996). Who supports you when your patient dies?. RN, 59(10), 48-50, 52-3. doi: 1996037794
The term euthanasia was originally coined to mean “good death,” this today can be looked at as the understanding of a death without pain and suffering. Euthanasia calls on the ethical principles of beneficence which is the duty of alleviating suffering, and non-maleficence which is the duty to prevent or avoid harm. Just like these two terms can be interpreted to fit specific needs; the term and understanding of euthanasia can be coined to do the same. The most recent term that is passed around for euthanasia is mercy killing. Euthanasia is the process of assisted suicide to that of someone who is in too much pain, or medically deteriorated beyond fix. The Pro-Life Alliance defines it as: 'Any action or omission intended to end the life of a patient on the grounds that his or her life is not worth living’ (Glossland, 2012.) The
In 2003, the American Nurses’ Association published a position statement regarding “Pain Management and Control of Distressing Symptoms in Dying Patients.” The organization states:
Death is final. Some die naturally in a peaceful manner while others suffer through tremendous pain in order to get there. Euthanasia is the only way for some people to leave all their pain behind. Euthanasia is the act of killing another person in a merciful way. Of course, euthanasia has many more meaning to it than that. A person that is suffering from a terminal illness decides that life is not worth living because there is too much pain involved and ends his own life, would that be wrong of him? That is the question that is at hand.
Kuhse, Helga. “Euthanasia.” A Companion to Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 1991. 294-302. Print.
Everyone, at some point in their life, will grapple with the grievous reality of a loved one dying. Doctors and medical practitioners will do all they can to comfort and help those who are terminally ill, but their efforts will only postpone the inevitable. Modern medical advances have facilitated the use of life-support machines and intubation, but these advances have also facilitated the controversial introduction of euthanasia and physician-assisted dying. A number of pro-choice advocates have recently suggested that euthanasia is the gentlest, easiest, and quickest way to end one 's life with dignity. By focusing on these appealing prospects, however, many people do not adequately take into account what I consider to be important constituents
According Richard Gula, active euthanasia is legally considered homicide (5). Another intervention and approach to euthanasia could be through the use of analgesic means. The use of morphine or other anesthetic medication could be used to allow the patient to die or hasten their dying process. I consider the latter procedure to be more humane than that of the other because it is morally wrong to kill a person, rather it's humane for someone to die naturally. Before I discuss the rights and wrongs of euthanasia, I will define death or a person, when is it safe to say...
Larson, Edward J. “Legalizing Euthanasia Would Encourage Suicide” Euthanasia- Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Carol Wesseker. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1995. 78-83. Print.