ble disease, and you knew that you were going to suffer? Would you choose to go through all of the pain and suffering or would you look at other options, such as Euthanasia? Also known as Doctor Assisted-Suicide. People choose the way that they live, so they should be able to choose the way that they die.
Why should someone else have the authority to force people to live in suffering or indignity if they don’t want to’some believe that Euthanasia should be outlawed because it is an invalid form of death. However, others think that Euthanasia should be practiced. When people are suffering they have the right to make their own decisions. Euthanasia will eliminate the suffering of a person who’s dying, and decrease the trauma of family members and loved ones. The word Euthanasia means a “good death,” “beneficial death” or a “dignified death. “-Neal Bernards, page 153.
However many who think Euthanasia is inhumane turn to vicious name- calling about the doctors, such as cruel, heartless and barbaric murderers. Euthanasia is the practice of painlessly ending the lives of people who have uncurable, painful or distressing disease or handicaps. Euthanasia may occur when permanently ill patients ask a doctor, friend or family member to put them to death. There are many different kinds of Euthanasia such as Passive Euthanasia, Voluntary Euthanasia, and Active Voluntary Euthanasia.
Most people don’t want to die. They aren’t suicidal. They just want to know that they will have a good life right up to their last breath. Many people choose Euthanasia because they want to escape unnecessary suffering, and the main reason is because they are afraid that they will loose their dignity. If people can’t find a doctor that will break the law they will stoop to a lower level to end their suffering.
Such as taking high doses of drugs or suffocation by a plastic bag. Rational Suicide. Ten percent or 1 in 5 physicians admitted that they have deliberately taken action to cause a patients death according to a survey conducted by the American Society of International Medicine- Gary E. McCuen Page: 143.
That means that almost 90% of all terminally ill patients are committing suicide. That is why Euthanasia should be legal. There will be less pain and suffering for the ill patients and their families. Also less trauma of knowing that their loved one committed suicide because they found no other way out. When a person is going to die a painful death and going through massive suffering they might look at options such as Euthanasia.
Today, scientific advancements and medical technology in most industrialized countries have helped people live longer. -Kathlyn Gay page: 10. This decreased the dying rate. As a result of this, terminally ill patients will stay alive longer in tragic pain for months and maybe even years. There are many cases of patients that are kept alive by artificial means, which increases the debate about the right to die. It’s not fair for a person to have to suffer against their will.
When a person is lying there in their hospital bed, dying a painful death they should be able to decide whether they want to continue to suffer or be put to rest. Even though it’s against the law, it’s in the best interest of the patient. Once people who are suffering know how to make final exit and have the opportunity to do so, they will often regotiate with themselves the conditions of their dying. When a person’s body is destroyed with disease sometimes it’s just not even worth living.
People fight their entire life to live, why should they fight to die when in the end everyone looses because it’s a part of life. There are two ways of Doctor Assisted- Suicide. A lethal drug for a person physically capable of ending his or her own life and injecting a lethal drug if the patient is physically incapable of causing their death. -Gary E. McCuen page: 128. The lethal drug is preferred over the injection because the doctor is less directly involved as a casual agent.
Letting the person do the dirty work is less stress on the physician. There are psychological reasons why doctors prefer the patients control over physician administered lethal injection. – Gary E. McCuen page: 67. This is because when the patient has control, and the pills are in their hands they will have the opportunity to sleep on their decision to die or continue to suffer and the pills will still be there in the morning.
They wont loose their means of escape through delay. -Gary E. McCuen page:129. However if there is no possible way of taking the pills then they really have no control.
When it’s time, it’s time, and if their family members and loved ones are at their bedside and the doctor is ready to give the patient their injection and they have second thoughts about whether or not to be put to their “good death” they might feel obligated and make their decision even though they aren’t positive about what they are doing. When a person who is terminally ill goes into a doctor’s office and requests Euthanasia they have to be able to make a reasoned decision about which type of Euthanasia they would like, then there will be papers that the patient has to sign. Preferably before a life threatening condition is diagnosed, however if it is too late for that there will be exceptions. And it must be witnesses by at least two people and maybe video recorded. Then there is a one month waiting period called “cooling off” so the patient has time to think things over thourally and make the decision whether what there doing is ethical.
The patient is reviewed and updated periodically. Then, it is computer recorded for the patients lawyer, doctor, close family and friends. Lastly, it is noted on their drivers license, social security, health, medical information cards, bank, insurance forms, and passports etc. So they are informed of the procedure. There are many steps that the patient has to take before the actual procedure takes place. They can’t just walk in and expect to die that some day.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of thought. In conclusion Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands under certain circumstances and it has always been legal in Switzerland, Germany, and Norway, so why can’t it be legal in the U. S. ? If a person is terminally ill and has no chance of living and suffering and pain is what they have to look forward to before their final breath then they should be laid to rest and put out of their misery.
Then they have the opportunity to have a peaceful death without pain and suffering. Human beings have the right to decide what they want in life, and if Euthanasia is at the top of their list then so be it. They have the knowledge and free will to do what they choose. Euthanasia isn’t a terrible thing. It’s a fact of life, and if people choose to do it then let them.
Doctors are just trying to help people that feel that they can’t go on. Plus, not just anyone can go in and request Euthanasia. They must be terminally ill and have a few months to live. Euthanasia helps people who are in need of getting out while they can.
It’s not murder, it’s Death with Dignity!
