Ethunesia

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Topic EUTHANASIAIntroduction Every year a large number of people in this world are dying of deadly diseases. Some of these diseases are so painful that their life seems to be unbearable. In most of the cases the situation turns out to be so worse that the patient would rather prefer early death than suffering the enormous pain and then die at the end. Recently our medical science has made incredible progress. Thus living a life in the 1st century is like living a life controlled by science and technology. By the blessings of medical science life expectancy for every person has gone at such a level that it is not easy for us to realize how hard it would have been without it. Then again there are limitations. These include diseases like ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease), Huntingtons disease, Alzheimers disease, Cancer and so many deadly ones. So death is their immediately destiny. Moreover, these diseases are sometimes so painful that the life of the patient seems not worth living anymore. They prefer death to lingering to suffer. This is the moment when they need their doctors to give them Euthanasia. Hence Euthanasia can be a better solution for them than to continue that painful life.

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Meanings of Terms Most people in North America die what may be called a bad death. One study found that More often than not, patients died in pain, their desires concerning treatment neglected, after spending 10 days or more in an intensive care unit. (Horgan)The word Euthanasia originated from the Greek language Eu means good and Thanatos means death. One meaning given to the word is the intentional termination of life by another at the explicit request of the person who dies.(Nethaerland State Commission) That is, the term euthanasia normally implies that the person who wishes to commit suicide must initiate the act. However, some people define euthanasia to include both voluntary and involuntary termination of life. Like so many moral/ethical/religious terms, euthanasia has many meanings. The result is mass confusion.It is important to differentiate among a number of vaguely related terms Types of Euthanasia Passive Euthanasia Hastening the death of a person by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course. For example Removing life support equipment (e.g. turning off a respirator) or stopping medical procedures, medications etc., or stopping food and water and allowing the person to dehydrate or starve to death or not delivering CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) and allowing a person, whose heart has stopped, to die. Perhaps the most common form of passive euthanasia is to give patient large doses of morphine to control pain, in spite of the likelihood that the painkiller will suppress respiration and cause death earlier than it would otherwise have happened. Such doses of painkillers have a dual effect of relieving pain and hastening death. Administering such medication is regarded as ethical in most political jurisdictions and by most medical societies. These procedures are performed on terminally ill, suffering persons so that natural death will occur sooner. It is also done on persons in a Persistent Vegetative State - individuals with massive brain damage who are in a coma from which they cannot possibly regain consciousness. Active Euthanasia This involves causing the death of a person through a direct action, in response to a request from that person. A well-known example was the mercy killing in 18 of a patient with ALS (Lou Gehrigs Disease) by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a Michigan physician. His patient was frightened that the advancing disease would cause him to die a horrible death in the near future; he wanted a quick, painless exit from life. Dr. Kevorkian injected controlled substances into the patient, thus causing his death. Charged with 1st degree murder, the jury found him guilty of nd degree murder in 1-MAR. Physician Assisted Suicide A physician supplies information and/or the means of committing suicide (e.g. a prescription for lethal dose of sleeping pills, or a supply of carbon monoxide gas) to a person, so that they can easily terminate their own life. The term voluntary passive euthanasia (VPE) is becoming commonly used. One writer (LevinD5) suggests the use of the verb to kevork. This is derived from the name of Dr. Kevorkian, who has promoted VPE and assisted at the deaths of hundreds of patients. Originally he hooked his patients up to a machine that delivered measured doses of medications, but only after the patient pushed a button to initiate the sequence. More recently, he provided carbon monoxide and a facemask so that his patient could initiate the flow of gas. Involuntary Euthanasia Some to describe the killing of a person who has not explicitly requested aid in dying uses this term. This is most often done to patients who are in a Persistent Vegetative State and will probably never recover consciousnessWhy is it an issue? People have many different reasons for wanting to end their life by committing suicide Some are severely depressed over a long interval. To them, suicide may be a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There is a consensus that a better solution for most clinically depressed people is treatment, using counseling and/or medication. Such treatment can give to the person decades of enjoyable life, which would have been lost, if they committed suicide.They live in excessive, chronic pain. Some, due to poverty or lack of health-care coverage cannot afford pain-killing medication. Others are denied adequate painkillers because of their physicians lack of knowledge, inadequate training, or specific beliefs. There is a consensus that suicide in this case is not a preferred solution; a better approach is proper management of pain through medication. There appears to be a lack of collective will to make this happen. As noted above, most people die in excessive, though treatable, pain.They have a terminal illness and do not want to diminish their assets by incurring large medical costs as their death approaches. As an act of generosity, they would rather die sooner, and pass on their assets to their beneficiariesA serious disorder or disease has adversely affected their quality of life to the point where they no longer wish to continue living. They have been diagnosed with a degenerative, progressive illness like ALS, Huntingtons Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS, Alzheimers etc. They fear a gradual loss of the quality of life in the future as the disease or disorder progresses.They have lost their independence and must be cared for continually. Some feel that this causes an unacceptable loss of personal dignity. They realize that they will be dying in the near future and simply want to have total control over the process. Some are concerned about the future and want to have suicide available as an option. Some people who decide that they wish to commit suicide are unable to accomplish the act. They would need assistance from their physician. Physician assisted suicide is currently legal, under severe restrictions, in the American state of Oregon and in the Netherlands. An analysis of the first full year of the availability of assisted suicide in Oregon showed that relatively few people requested help in dying. The resistance of their physician probably deterred some. Only actually obtained medication to induce their death. At least six of the never used the pills, but died a natural death.Beliefs about Suicide Ultimately, there are two approaches to suicideTraditional Christian beliefs concerning all forms of suicide were well documented by Thomas Aquinas (circa 15-174 CE). He condemned all suicide (whether assisted or not) because It violates ones natural desire to live. It harms other people. Life is the gift of God and is thus only to be taken by God. (Suicide) Michel de Montaigne (15-15 CE) was the first major dissenter among European writers. He wrote a series of five essays, which touched on the subject of suicide. He argued that suicide should be considered a matter of personal choice, a human right. He indicated that it is a rational option under some circumstances. In his A defense of legal suicide (1580), he wrote Death is a remedy against all evils It is a most assured haven, never to be. These two basic positions remain essentially unchanged today. Attempting to commit suicide was once a criminal act. It has been decriminalized for many decades in most jurisdictions in North America. However, assisted suicide remains a criminal act throughout North America, with the exception of the state of Oregon. In that state, it is permitted under tightly controlled conditions. Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) in Some Countries Australia Their Northern Territory passed a law on 15-MAY-5, which was assented to on 15-JUN-16. It permitted active euthanasia, under careful controls, when certain prerequisites are met. The Northern Territory consists of about 1/6 the landmass of Australia but only has a population of about 168,000 people. The law started as a private members bill Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 15, sponsored by Marshall Perron. The Australian Medical Association and a variety of right-to-life groups opposed it. A conscience vote was allowed in which members were free to vote independently of party discipline. The original name was preserved. The law is called the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. It went into effect on 16-JUL-1. Similar bills were introduced in other Australian states. A survey conducted by News poll in 15-JUL found 81% of Australian adults support voluntary euthanasia. This is an increase over an earlier result of 7% in 14-JUL. A poll by the Roy Morgan Research Center in 15-JUN showed similar results 78% in favor. This is an increase from 66% in 186. A separate poll showed that 60% of doctors and 78% of nurses in Victoria favored voluntary euthanasia. An additional poll was taken among 6500 Christian congregations, representing 1 denominations. They found that 40% agreed with assisted suicide for terminally ill persons; 0% opposed; 0% uncertain. Among older church attendees, support was higher (50% among those 60 and older). Bob Dent, 66, was the first person to take advantage of the new law. He had moved to the Northern Territory as a Church of England (Episcopal, Anglican) missionary. He became disillusioned with politics within the church and left his calling to become a building estimator. He was diagnosed with cancer in 11, and converted to Buddhism shortly afterwards. He wrote a letter saying, If you disagree with voluntary euthanasia, then dont use it, but please do not deny the right to me. He said that no religious group should demand that I behave according to their rules and endure unnecessary intractable pain until some doctor in his omniscience decides that I have had enough and increases the morphine until I die. In the presence of his wife and doctor, he initiated the process that gave him a lethal drug injection. A second terminally ill person obtained physician assistance in dying on 17-JAN-7. She was Janet Mills, age 5, who suffered from a rare form of skin cancer that causes the skin to disintegrate. The Anglican Dean of Sydney, Boak Jobbins, said the latest death was another day of shame for Australia. He said, Quite clearly we are a nation that has come to the end of its resources...We no longer have anything to offer the terminally ill, the aged or the disabled but a quick exit at the end of a needle. On 17-MAR-5, the Australian Senate disallowed the Northern Provinces law. The vote was 8 to . This passed the bill into law, since the lower house had already approved it. This action is directly opposed to public opinion. In addition to the polling results cited above, a nation-wide poll of nurses showed that 70% were in favor. Dr. Philip Nitschke in the Northern Territory developed the first machine built to legally kill patients. It was scheduled to be displayed in the London Museum of Sciences, London, England starting 000-JUL. It involved a computer that asked the patient three times whether he/she really wanted to die. If the patient agreed each time, then 100 ml of liquid Nembutal was pumped through a fine needle into the patients arm. She/he fell asleep and died within five minutes. England According to Maranatha Daywatch, for 1-DEC-8 A British charity Monday called for a government inquiry into claims that health officials are practicing involuntary euthanasia on elderly patients in an attempt to free up beds in overcrowded hospitals. Age Concern accused the National Health Service (NHS) of ageism and called on the Labor government to keep a pre-election promise to tackle the problem of neglect of older patients. (EWTN NEWS) There are allegations that elderly patients are being deprived of food and water. A second pressure group, Patients in Danger, is considering charging the government in the European Court of Human Rights. An anti-euthanasia bill was defeated in Parliament in 000-APR. Dr. Liam Fox, spokesperson for the Conservative Party has expressed alarm at the status of passive euthanasia in England. The party is concerned that orders have been issued that at least 50 patients be allowed to die and not be resuscitated when their breathing or heart stops. The party is calling for clear guidelines to medical personnel. Holland Euthanasia is theoretically illegal in this country. However, a law was passed in 1 which prevents doctors from being prosecuted for euthanasia if the patient is in intolerable pain (including emotional pain), the patient has repeatedly and lucidly asked to die, two doctors agree on the procedure, relatives are consulted, and the death is reported. About % of all deaths in the country are reported as involving physician assistance. The actual number is believed to be higher. Public opinion is heavily in favor of continuing the present system. % supported physician assisted suicide in a 18 poll. Physicians have complained that the present guidelines left them in a legal limbo. On 1-JUL-1, the Dutch government announced the introduction of a bill to decriminalize physician-assisted suicide. Wijnand Stevens, a spokesperson for the justice ministry said It was agreed that to decriminalize euthanasia is the logical [next] step of the policy we have had so far." Assistance in dying would only be permitted only if The patient must be suffering unbearably. However, they need not be terminally ill. The patient must make a request on a voluntary, well-considered and sustained basis. The doctor and patient must have had a long-term relationship. There must be no reasonable alternative to relieve the patients suffering. The doctor must consult at least one other independent physician. Due medical care must be followed. The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (NVVE) and Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) have welcomed the bill. All three parties of the ruling coalition backed the bill during debate on 000-NOV-. Political opposition came from the Christian Democrats and some small Calvinist religious parties. A spokesperson for the conservative Protestant State Reformed Party commented that the Dutch government is mopping up the last remaining scraps of Christian morals from the law books. They control two seats in parliament. Bert Dorenbos, spokesperson for the pro-life group Cry for Life, said Youll never know if doctors are coming to cure you or kill you. (He was apparently unaware of the acts provisions that the patient must first make repeated requests for assistance). The bill was passed 104 to 40 in the lower chamber of parliament. Approval by the upper house is expected early in 001. 10 Derek Humphry, founder of the Hemlock Society said that the absence of an enabling law in the U.S. has driven the practice of assisted suicide underground. Its going on underground extensively, but we would rather see it above ground and open and supervised by a team of people...Every day, there are dozens of cases in North America. Rev. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, a Vatican spokesperson said that the Dutch bill violates the dignity of human beings... and goes against the natural law of individual conscience." (GLOBE &MALE A17) Japan On 15-MAR-8, the District Court in Yokahama found a doctor guilty of murdering a terminally ill cancer patient who was expected to die within a few days. He received a two-year prison term, which was suspended. The court then listed four conditions under which mercy killing would be permitted in Japan 1.the patient is suffering in unbearable physical pain .death is inevitable and imminent .all possible measures have been taken to eliminate the pain with no other treatment left open 4.the patient has clearly expressed his or her will to approve the shortening of his or her life. Judge Matsuura said, Dr.Tokunagas action did not meet all these conditions, arguing that the patient had made no clear expressions about his physical pain nor about his will to approve euthanasia. The doctors action cannot be viewed as euthanasia and represents illegal termination of the patients life. South Africa The country currently criminalizes physician-assisted suicide. A survey by the Medical Association revealed that 1% of physicians had already helped terminally ill patients die. 60% had performed passive euthanasia by withholding medication or procedure with the expectation of hastening death. % had engaged in physician-assisted suicide. Recent developments include 17-APR-15 The South African Law Commission released a 100 page discussion paper on titled Euthanasia and the Artificial Preservation of Life. It included a Draft Bill on the Rights of the Terminally Ill. (SOUTH AFRICAN LAW COMMISSION) The bill discusses how mentally competent persons might refuse medical treatment and thereby hasten death that physicians could administer pain control medication, even though it has a double effect of killing pain and hastening death. This is a common practice that is currently in a legal limbo. that a competent person could obtain assistance in committing suicide from a physician under certain conditions. The patient would have to be suffering from a terminal illness, be in extreme pain that cannot be relieved, be over the age of 18, be mentally competent, and persistently request assistance in dying. Two doctors would have to agree. that a person could issue a living will in advance of need which would direct what medical treatment that they would prefer to avoid. the conduct of medical personnel in withholding medical treatment. Doctors could refuse to participate in any of the above. 1-MAR- The South Africa Medical Association asked that the proposed legislation be put on hold.1-MAR-10 Doctors for Life is a group of 600 physician who oppose choice in abortion and physician assisted suicide. They appealed to the South African government and Law Commission to retain the status quo and to abandon any proposed legislation. 1-OCT A bill is under active discussion in Parliament.1-OCT-4 Christians for Life organized a demonstration to protest abortion access and physician assisted suicide.1-OCT-8 & 40 African pro-life groups who form the National Alliance for Life (NAL) attended the Love Them Both conference in Amanzimtoti, South Africa. The conference linked the right of a pregnant woman to choose an abortion with the right for terminally ill elderly persons in intractable pain who seek assistance in committing suicide. Albu van Eeden, the NAL chairman, said Euthanasia is contrary to the very nature of medicine. It will destroy the trust that forms the basis of the doctor-patient relationship. Legalizing euthanasia is all about giving the doctor the right to kill, to be both judge and executioner. Dr. F. Kellerman, a member of Doctors for Life, said We are deeply grieved because of the situation in South Africa. Despite the thousands of people who stood up against abortion and against the legalizing of euthanasia, the government just continues to do what they have in mind to do. We get the impression that irrespective of what the people say, irrespective of what scientific facts are put to the government, even in Parliament, there are some people who have set their minds on killing babies and bringing in euthanasia.State of Oregon14 - Ballot measure approved Citizens in the state of Oregon approved Ballot Measure 16 in the 14-NOV elections, which would have legalized euthanasia under limited conditions. Under the Death With Dignity law, a person who sought physician-assisted suicide would have to meet certain criteria. The person Must be terminally ill, must have 6 months or less to live must make two oral requests for assistance in dying must make one written request for assistance must convince two physicians that she/he is sincere, is not acting on a whim, and that the decision is voluntary must not have been influenced by depression must be informed of the feasible alternatives, including, but not limited to, comfort care, hospice care and pain control. must wait for 15 days. If they meet all of these requirements, then they could receive a prescription of a barbiturate that would be sufficient to cause death. Mercy killings by a family member or friend would not be allowed. Assisted suicides of the type performed by Dr. Jack Kevorkian would not be allowed. Physicians would be prohibited from inducing death by injection or carbon monoxide. Various informal polls in Oregon had consistently shown that most people are in favor of such a law. Most physicians were as well.18 --First usage of the law. On 18-MAR-6, a woman in her mid 80s died from a lethal dose of barbiturates, which had been prescribed by her doctor under this law. She was the first person to publicly do so. She had been fighting breast cancer for 0 years and recently had been told by her doctor that she had less than two months to live. She had been experiencing increased difficulty breathing. She made a tape recording in which she said Im looking forward to it. I will be relieved of all the stress I have. Her personal doctor would not help her end her life, so she turned to an advocacy group Compassion in Dying; they found a doctor that would assist her. She fell into a deep sleep about 5 minutes after taking the lethal dose of pills; she died peaceably about 5 minutes later.18 -- analysis of the laws effects By the end of 18, one prediction of the anti-choice forces had not materialized. There has been no rush of people to Oregon to seek an easy end to their life. Since the law was passed, only about one Oregonian per month has elected to commit physician-assisted suicide. Dr. Arthur Chin of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention was the lead researcher in a study of the physician assisted suicide law in Oregon. The study found that during the calendar year 18 Many people expected that large numbers of the terminally ill would take advantage of the law. In fact, very few did - only during 18.Of the individuals, 15 committed suicide, usually within a day of receiving the prescription. 6 died from their illnesses without using the medication remained alive at the end of 18. Some had predicted that most of those seeking help in dying would be poor, uneducated, uninsured, or concerned about the financial effects of a long, lingering death or fearful of intractable pain. These predictions did not come true. Gender, education, health insurance status, and fear of pain did not play an influential role in prompting a person to seek help in dying. 1 of the 15 were dying of cancer. Six of the fifteen had to change doctors at least once to find one willing to write a prescription. Of the 15 who committed suicide, all were white; 8 were male; their median age was 68 years. Doctors usually prescribed a fatal dose of Secobarbital, along with an anti-vomiting medicine so that the barbiturate would be properly absorbed. Everyone who committed suicide became unconscious within 5 minutes. Most were dead within an hour.000 -- analysis of the laws effects During the year 000, 7 Oregonians ended their lives with the help of the assisted suicide law. Over the first three years that the law has been in place the number of patients choosing legal PAS has remained at six to nine per 10,000 deaths. ...The proportions of PAS patients married, widowed, divorced or never married resemble those seen among other Oregonians dying from similar diseases.(Oregon Death with Dignity) College-educated patients were much more likely to choose PAS than those with less than a high school degree, by a factor of 1 or more.001 -- analysis of the laws effects During 001, physicians in Oregon gave fatal prescriptions to 44 terminally ill individuals. Twenty-one of the recipients used them to commit suicide. The total number of physician assisted suicide cases is 1 since the Death With Dignity law came into effect in 17. 00 - Further developments The government of Oregon has initiated a lawsuit in federal court to block the federal Justice Department from taking legal action against Oregon doctors who prescribe medication to assist their patients commit suicide. A federal judge ruled in favor of the state state law in 00-APR. (Jordahl) It was probably to be a simple decision, because the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled that states can permit doctors to assist in the suicide of their terminally ill patientsEuthanasia discussion material Euthanasia, commonly known as mercy killing, is being discussed more and more these days. Superficially, it can seem an ideal solution for some people with particularly distressing problems--the elderly, the terminally ill and others. Some seek to legalize it. Part of the difficulty in thinking through this emotive subject lies in language and confusion about definitions. This discussion material explores the issues using the following definition of euthanasia the intentional killing by act or omission of a person whose life is felt not to be worth living. Is it killing? The bottom line in euthanasia is that a person is dead. Some object to calling their dispatch killing but that is what it is by any dictionary-definition. The Judaeo-Christian, Muslim and other religious traditions place a high value on the unique individuality of each human being and view killing very seriously. Indeed, all societies have traditionally considered the taking of another persons life as a serious offence, as the existence of criminal penalties show. Intention Some people distinguish between active euthanasia (such as administering a lethal injection) and passive euthanasia (such as withholding medical treatment and/or nutrition). However, in some cases, withholding treatment can be good medical practice and, in these situations, it should not be described as euthanasia. The distinction between euthanasia and good medical practice hinges on the intention with which treatment is given or withheld. In euthanasia, the intention is to kill. In good medical practice, the intention is to maximise the quality of life experienced by the patient. Therefore, it may not always be necessary to do abslutely everything technologically possible to prolong life just because the facilities exist. It would not be wrong to give high doses of powerful painkillers to patients with terminal cancer, even though this may incidentally shorten life, as long as the prime purpose is to control pain. However, an act or omission whose sole purpose is to hasten death is euthanasia. The key ethical and legal point is the intention--the motive behind the act. United Kingdom law recognizes this and does not need to be changed. Voluntary euthanasia Supporters of euthanasia suggest that individuals should have the right to decide when their life is not worth living. This is termed voluntary euthanasia. However, it is unclear how society might ensure that the person was in a position genuinely to exercise their right to choose and was not · Depressed, with a consequent sense of worthlessness · acutely confused through physical illness · demented so that they might not make a rational choice · suffering from easily-treatable symptoms · feeling a sense of burden · under pressure from family, friends or other people around them · under pressure from a community that was short of resources If the person concerned is not making the decision about whether to employ euthanasia, the euthanasia can either be non-voluntary (the person is not competent to make the decision) or involuntary (the person could make the decision but is not consulted). The slippery slope from voluntary euthanasia to non-voluntary and involuntary Legalisation of voluntary euthanasia would lead to changes in the thinking and practice concerning non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. However carefully the law was worded, it would be impossible to enforce it since the key witness--the victim of euthanasia--would be dead. Dutch government statistics released in 11 showed that such a progression was inevitable. The sanctioning of voluntary euthanasia in that country has led to both non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Please note that this sample paper on ethunesia is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on ethunesia, we are here to assist you. 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