A Report On Euthanasia Law Medical Essay

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Table of content

Acknowledgement

Executive Summary

Introduction

Euthanasia basically means ending a life purposely in order to get free from all the pain and suffering. Euthanasia comes from the Greek word  εὐθανασία which means ‘good death’. The word euthanasia was first used by Francis Bacon in 17th century which referred as painless, easy, happy death

Euthanasia is practiced by doctors who helps patients to end their life without any pain who are suffering from diseases which are incurable and will not let them live any longer Eg: Cancer, AIDS etc and would give them a painful death.

For euthanasia every country has a different law for example "The British House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics defines euthanasia as "a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering" . In the Netherlands, euthanasia is understood as "termination of life by a doctor at the request of a patient". "

(wikipedia)

There are many types of euthanasia:

Active euthanasia

When a person directly and intentionally causes the patient’s death. It happens when death is brought by an act for example when a person is killed by giving a overdose of pain killers.

Passive euthanasia

In passive euthanasia patients life is not directly taken. It happens when death is brought by omission. They let the patient die.

Voluntary euthanasia

Voluntary euthanasia happens when a patient suffering from incurable disease wants to end his life in order to get relief from pain and suffering with the assistance of a doctor or a physician. This is often referred to as assisted suicide.

Voluntary euthanasia is legal in many countries like USA, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Belgium etc

Involuntary euthanasia

Involuntary euthanasia happens when the person who is being killed choose to live but is killed anyway. Involuntary euthanasia is considered as murder.

Indirect euthanasia

In Indirect euthanasia patient is not killed on purpose. It happens when the patient is killed by the side effects of medicine.

Assisted euthanasia

This usually refers to case where a person needs assistance to kill himself. It may be as simple as getting poison for the person

History

Euthanasia was practiced since ancient Greece and Rome. The word euthanasia was first used by Suetonius in his book  De Vita Caesarum--Divus Augustus, an ancient roman historian who used this word to describe the death of Caesar.

Different countries had different history of euthanasia for example:

The Netherlands: Nederlander physicians a agreement on recommendations was achieved between Elegant Nederlander Medical Organization and the Reverend of Rights that, offered physicians kept to the rules, they could practice helped destruction and euthanasia, without worry of justice. Nederlander euthanasia regulation passed on Apr 10, 2001 and went into effect on Apr 10, 2002. It offered special supply on omission from penalties for a doctor offered she/he conforms with two conditions. These recommendations have since been extended considerably.

Oregan -USA: In 1994 51% of Oregan people elected on 'Measure 16' to legalise Physician-Assisted Destruction. Despite recommendations, Oregon's Department. of Individual Services (OHS) "has no regulating power or sources to make sure conformity with the law." The OHD has to depend on the phrase of physicians and there are no charges for physicians who do not review recommending deadly amounts for the objective of suicide.

Germany - "In 1939 Hitler started a secrete killing operation which targeted mentally ill children which was led by Philipp Bouhler and Karl Brandt. On august 8th 1939, the Reich ministry made an announcement to all hospitals and to physicians to report children under the age of 3 who are mentally or physically ill. Public health authority started encouraging parents to admit their children who were mentally or psychically ill to admit their young children to one of a number of specially designated pediatric clinics throughout Germany and Austria. where specially medical staff was recruited to kill this infants by medicine overdose or by starvation.

At first only infants were killed but as the scope of the measure widened, they started including children up to 17 years of age a-nd more than 5000 physically and mentally challenged children were killed"

(ushmm)

Relationship between euthanasia and science and technology

Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, believed that when a man dies it essentially implies that his soul separates from his system. The soul then occupies another system and lives again. Dr Philip Nitschke says that remedy can be found not in state policies and law, but rather in the impressive use of technological innovation. With the growth of easier and more efficient and efficient techniques of "self-deliverance," the part of law makers becomes unrelated. Indeed, it is the failing of the governmental procedure that has motivated analysis and growth in this area and led to a number of latest important developments. We now see huge variety of seniors Aussies with the capability to choose the way and moment of their relaxing loss of life if and when they want and showing an improving neglect for the governmental procedure.

Technology and medical developments have introduced about many new ways of increasing lifestyle. With the truth of long lifestyle covers, the discussion over when, if ever, one has the right to end his or her own life, has expanded even more warmed. The writer provides young visitors with the qualifications and information they need to begin developing their own views on this problem, which is being discussed in courtrooms, legal compartments, medical centers, chapels, and the press around the world.

People who practiced euthanasia

Jack Kevorkian

He was born on may 26, 1928 and commonly known as ‘Dr. Death’. He was a pathologist and use to practice euthanasia and had assisted more than 100 patients who were suffering from incurable diseases into ending their lives. He spent 8 years behind bars after he was arrested

for assisting patients into ending their lives and was charges second degree murder. He died on june 3, 2011

Philip Nitschke

He was born on 8 august 1947 in Australia and was founder of pro-euthanasia group called exit international. He was the first doctor to legally practice euthanasia and assisted four patients into ending their lives after which Australian parliament dropped this law.

Arguments on euthanasia

Arguments FOR euthanasia

The main argument for euthanasia is that patients should be allowed to die because it is better to die then suffering.

Every patient has right to choose when to die.

Death is a private matter and if there is no harm to other than other people or government has no right to interfere.

Sickness can take away your ‘ability to make choices’ leaving you with no quality of life, but euthanasia helps you take back control in deciding to die.

People suffering from incurable diseases spends more money for health care but are going to die anyway, so this money can help someone else.

"The pragmatic argument states that many of the practices used in end of life care are a type of euthanasia in all but name.

For example, there is the practice of making a ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation' (DNACPR) order, where a person requests not to receive treatment if their heart stops beating or they stop breathing.

Critics have argued that DNACPR is a type of passive euthanasia because a person is denied treatment that could potentially save their life." (NHS)

Some believe that death is not a bad thing, so if it comes sooner it is not bad.

As health resources are scare, not considering euthanasia might deprive society of the resources needed to help people with curable illnesses.