Essay Euthanasia

Oregon became the first state in the U.S.to pass the Death With Dignity Act, in 1997. Since then only two other States, Washington (2009) and Vermont (2013), have passed the act. The act was created to give terminally ill people, that meet the eligibility requirements, to get a prescription that would promptly end their life when they feel is the right time. To be eligible to obtain this prescription a patient would have to be at least 18 years in age, a resident in one of the 3 states, able to make and communicate health care decisions for themselves, and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months. Not only one, but two physicians must sign off saying that the patient has met all criteria to obtain the prescription

The Romans' had a philosophy about dying that essentially meant that if you live, then you deserved to die. This philosophy has been incorporated into the “right to die”. There have been laws and court rulings that support this ideal of having the right to die. This right entitles the patient to refuse any further medical treatment that would just stymie an inevitable death. This allows the patient to experience a natural death. The supporting viewpoint on the matter of physician assisted suicide argues that the right to die, a right supported by laws and courts, also allows a patient to request a death assisted by their physician. They argue that the two, euthanasia and the right to die, are very similar. Meaning, assisted suicide should be supported as much as having a right to die.

The Death With Dignity Act is a law that allows terminally ill people to end their lives through the voluntary self- administration of lethal medication, prescribed by a physician for that purpose. This act was enacted on October 27, 1997 in Oregon. The Death With Dignity Act in Oregon has strict requirements in order to utilize this act. The patient must be 18 years or older, diagnosed with a terminal illness that will ultimately lead to death within 6 months, the patient needs to be a resident of Oregon and must be capable to make and communicate healthcare decisions, and physicians must report to the department of human services all prescriptions for lethal medications. There are only 3 states that have enacted the Death With Dignity laws; these states are Oregon,

Euthanasia is defined as, "The act or practice of putting to death painlessly a person suffering from an incurable disease." Euthanasia can be traced back as far back as the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. It was sometimes allowed in these civilizations to help others die. Voluntary euthanasia was approved in these ancient societies. Today, the practice of euthanasia causes great controversy. Both pro-life groups and right-to-die groups present arguments for their different sides. Pro-life groups make arguments and present fears against euthanasia. I contend that the case for the right to die is the stronger argument.

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,

One of the most controversial topics regarding euthanasia has got to do with the “Slippery Slope”. It states that when one exception to the law is followed by more exceptions. There may come a time when all that was considered unacceptable, will become acceptable. For now only voluntary euthanasia is legal. According to hypothesis of the “Slippery Slope” soon non voluntary and involuntary euthanasia may follow. For example Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) which was once a last resort is being considered as a first in many countries.

Euthanasia is the deliberate act of putting an end to a patient’s life for the purpose of ending the patients suffering. But can it ever be right to kill patients, even with the intent to ease suffering? To kill patients, even with the intent to ease suffering, is considered homicide. Over the past years euthanasia has been defeated and become illegal in every country besides Netherland and Belgium. I am afraid that if euthanasia could have been legalised in those two countries, it’s a matter of time; the whole world would approval and soon follows the Dutch’s example of ‘good and easy death.’ Once legalised, euthanasia will become a means of health care containment, will become involuntary and would not only apply for the terminally ill,

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Euthanasia is “conceding painless death to a patient who is considered to be hopelessly ill, because of a non-curable disease”. The term is used to refer to the act of deliberately taking the life of a sick person, especially those who are sick from terminal illnesses. Patients in this category are normally those who are nearing their death from a persistent terminal illness and medicine does not to have much effect on them. Different scholars hold different opinions on whether to legalize the practice. Some stage a very strong that attempt to justify euthanasia. They argue that it is a common practice in the US and that it serves to end a person’s suffering and save the family members a lot of emotional

I would like to begin by defining the issue of the article by Patrick Nowell-Smith. The issue of his article is legalizing euthanasia and giving people a right to decide when and how to die.

be fed orally because of blistering in the mouth and throat. Any movement of the

A teacher I once had in high school would often talk about her father who lived in hospice care. Her father suffered from dementia and had been for years. She would often talk about how on his “good” days he would plead her husband to put a pillow on his head and suffocate him, to take him out of his misery. If it was legal, her husband would have willingly helped her father and put him out of his misery, however in the state of North Carolina, physician-assisted suicide is illegal. Luckily, her father passed away this year and is finally free of pain and suffering. However, if physician-assisted suicide was legal, her father would not have had to suffer as long as he did.

Euthanasia, which is also referred to as mercy killing, is the act of ending someone’s life either passively or actively, usually for the purpose of relieving pain and suffering. “All forms of euthanasia require an intention to accelerate death in order to benefit patients experiencing a poor quality of life” (Sayers, 2005). It is a highly controversial subject that often leaves a person with mixed emotions and beliefs. Opinions regarding this topic hinge on the health and mental state of the victim as well as method of death. It raises legal issues as well as the issue of morals and ethics. Euthanasia is divided into two different categories, passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. “There are unavoidable uncertainties in both active and

When someone is inevitably dying and in inexplicable pain is it really a crime to grant their wishes and end their suffering? As of right now euthanasia is illegal in many countries and is a very controversial topic. Is it compassion for the patient helping them in ending their life or murder? The doctor is not giving death as an option, it is the patients choice and even where it is legal there are many rules. Euthanasia should not be considered a crime because the patient is not being murdered; they are having their suffering end in a painless, humane way out of compassion for the patient and their family.

Imagine yourself lying on a hospital bed totally unaware of the happenings around you. Doctors and family members come and go, mostly out of habit now, because they know there’s nothing more they can do. Many of their visits are a blur to you, with their voices and movements becoming unrecognizable. The pain you experience is nothing short of excruciating, but the hospital has exhausted all of their resources in their attempt to help you. After months of medication and efforts to assist your recovery, you’re left with nothing to show for it other than the dreadful bills. Your family is just patiently waiting for your final days.

The legalization of euthanasia has always been a highly debatable topic since it causes philosophical, religious, moral and ethical controversy where some people believe it reduces our respect for the value of human life and it will be a gateway for other immoral actions to be normalized even though it is a basic human right that patients all over the world are denied to this day.