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The ethical implications of euthanasia
Ethics on euthanasia
An essay on euthanasia
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Euthanasia, otherwise known as mercy killing or good death, is used to help end the suffering of a patient in an irreversible state of health, like severe cases of Lou Gehrig’s disease or severe burn victims. Many believe that it is immoral to go against natural survival instincts, while others wish to legalize it to help end the pain of those suffering. The main argument over euthanasia is whether or not it should even be allowed to exist within the medical and legal worlds. Euthanasia has caused many controversies and lawsuits that will continue until euthanasia is fully denied or accepted by society. Euthanasia was first recorded in Greek and Roman times.The word euthanasia originates from the two Greek words “eu”, meaning good, or easy The machine was called the “Mercitron”, the machine was created from spare toy gears that he bought in multiple flea markets he attended, and had large doses of deadly medicines. The machine itself worked by allowing the patient to flip a switch when they are ready or willing to end their own lives, and caused themselves to overdose on whatever drug was used. Eventually Jack Kevorkian was put on trial for the murder of his patients but was never found guilty, although he was stripped of his license to be a physician. He still carried out his practice by using gases like monoxide, carbon dioxide, et cetera. Jack Kevorkian was also involved in many legal cases, including the People of Michigan versus Kevorkian case. The People versus Kevorkian case based around a physician- assisted suicide case, committed by Jack Kevorkian, being charged as second degree murder. The case revolved round the assisted suicide of fifty- two year old Thomas Youk. Thomas Youk had a severe case of Lou Gehrig’s disease, and could barely move himself, and was losing his physical abilities. Thomas had asked Jack Kevorkian to assist him, in which Jack Kevorkian obliged. Jack Kevorkian was eventually seen as not guilty and was not charged with his accusations and was set Some include the banning of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Then there are some that support it, or just regulate, and restrict it. The United States of America holds many laws and ideals surrounding euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. This can go between making it illegal to even supporting the cause. Within the United States only four states allow euthanasia. These states include Montana, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, all other forty- six states find it to be a criminal act, or to not be fully legal in their state. Some states like Hawaii and Delaware even classify it as manslaughter, while others only only charge it as felonies. Then there are the few states that do not recognize any laws preventing or allowing euthanasia within the state. Such states include Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.(ProcCon.org) The four states supporting euthanasia have laws protecting their right to have a say over their lives and whether or not they would want physician- assisted suicide, called Death with Dignity Acts. Act 39 of Vermont is one such Death with Dignity Act, and allows physicians to prescribe lethal medicines to help along the process of euthanasia, without being penalized by the law. Then there is Oregon, which has a similar act to Vermont’s act. Yet it requires the person to be an Oregon citizen.
Euthanasia comes from the Greek word that means “good death” (“Euthanasia” Literary). In general, euthanasia refers to causing the death of someone to end their pain and suffering oftentimes in cases of terminal illness. Some people call this “mercy killings.”
Even though many states don’t support physician assisted suicide there are a few states that have approved the measure. Vermont, Montana, Oregon, and Washington are the very few that allow physician assisted suicide. Other states have not passed a law approving this action.. Oregon is one of the few states that allows doctors to preform assisted suicide. Oregon has a few requirements in the law to execute this procedure: the patient has to be at least 18 years of age, a resident of Oregon, and a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months or less. The number of assisted suicide deaths in Oregon has increased over the years. In 2009 there were 59, 65 deaths in 2010, 71 deaths in 2011, and 77 deaths in 2012. There has been a 30% increase of assisted suicides deaths since 2009 (Schadenberg). This shows that some states are more progressive than others in accepting and working with the terminally ill. The assisted suicide law in Oregon does not preve...
There is a medical pathologist who agrees. Dr. Kevorkian is a medical pathologist who helped dozens of people die becoming a celebrity, known as Dr. Death who helped over 130 people end their lives (Schneider par1).“ People from around the country traveled to the Detroit to get help from Dr. Death. Dr. Kevorkian developed a system to help achieve two goals ensuring the patient’s comfort and protecting himself against criminal conviction. He required patients who desired to die to express that clearly, and then he would bring in mental professionals to test the sanity of the person. After that the patient was giving a month to thinking over their decision just in case they wanted to change their minds. Dr Kevorkian also took videos interviews of t...
Euthanasia is defined as a painless, happy and easy death, which is derived from the Greek words Eu Thanatos. Looking back to ancient Greece and Rome, Euthanasia was practiced regularly. If they saw a person suffering miserably and they could do nothing for them, they would end their life early by feeding them poison. However, throughout time religion was increased, and the life of a human being was viewed as sacred. Because of this, euthanasia was slowly portrayed as wrong ("The Controversy").
Although widely condoned around the world, only one nation, the Netherlands has made physician assisted suicide legal. Five states tried Washington in 1991, California in 1992, Michigan in 1998,and main in 2000, Oregon in 1994 approved the “Death with Dignity Act” it won 51 percent to 49 percent. 91 people committed suicide with the aid of a physician in the first four years the law was in effect.
According to West’s Encyclopedia of American Law, between 1990 and 1999, a well-known advocate for physician assisted suicide, Jack Kevorkian helped 130 patients end their lives. He began the debate on assisted suicide by assisting a man with committing suicide on national television. According to Dr. Kevorkian, “The voluntary self-elimination of individual and mortally diseased or crippled lives taken collectively can only enhance the preservation of public health and welfare” (Kevorkian). In other words, Kevor...
Euthanasia is debated globally about whether or not it should be illegal or become legalized. Some will say that it is wrong, that it is taking the life of a human being; however, others will say that it is just taking the life of a human who is already terminally ill, and suffering. Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Columbia, and Luxemburg. Assisted suicide; which is another form of euthanasia is legal in Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Canada, and in some parts of the U.S: Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Montana, and California. Despite many beliefs of euthanasia being morally wrong, it provides terminally ill patients an alternative to the painful suffering they are to experience before their death.
“In 1999, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a Michigan physician known for openly advertising that he would perform assisted suicide despite the fact that it was illegal, was convicted of second-degree murder” (Lee). The fact of the matter is human being...
Physician-assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of an individual’s life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician. The issue of whether doctors have the right to help their patients die has been a controversy for centuries. Correspondingly, this term illustrates the case of Dr. Jack Kevorkian who helped a 52-year-old Lou Gehrig's disease patient commit suicide. The Hippocratic Oath, which is historically taken by physicians, proclaims: “I will keep the sick from harm and injustice. I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.” After ruling in 1997 that Americans do not have the Constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide,
Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from a disease that can't be cured or a permanent disease. Usually a person who chooses Euthanasia should suffer from an incurable disease, or it would be called suicide. In many cases it is carried out by the patients request, but sometimes the patient is s...
Euthanasia means different things to different people. The definition provided by www.euthanasia.com states that euthanasia is “the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)”. There are several key definitions listed on the euthanasia site such as voluntary euthanasia, involuntary euthanasia, assisted suicide, and euthanasia by action or omission. There are those who feel that euthanasia is an act of compassion at the end of ones life, while others such as www.euthanasia.com state that they “are committed to the fundamental belief that the intentional killing of another person is wrong.” The information outlined in this paper will help the reader to identify an understanding of what euthanasia is, how this practice is viewed by the rest of the world where the services are legal, the pros and cons, the affect it has on healthcare workers, patient centered experiences, as well as what patients use as an alternative to this practice.
The five states physician assisted suicide is legal in are California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, including Washington, D.C. Each state has their own set of rules and regulations to follow for physician assisted suicide, but they all have one rule in common; the physician has the option to participate. For physicians and patients alike, assisted suicide is a difficult process to endure. Every doctor believes the words, “do no harm”, therefore, ultimately killing their patients is a difficult task. However, physicians have a choice as to whether or not they will prescribe the medication that will terminate their patient’s
Oregon, Washington, and Vermont. Those are the only three states in the United States of America that allow adult patients with long term, terminal illnesses to request and receive a prescription that ends their life. Although very few people have chosen to use this law, there are people who have. The rules and regulations that come with the Death with Dignity law are specific, precise, and only used under certain circumstances.
Euthanasia is the process of killing a patient with the intention of relieving their suffering and pain. It is also commonly known as mercy killing, and many often do not agree with it most especially in cases where a terminal illness is not inclusive. While euthanasia has been legalized in certain states in the United States such as Oregon, a lot of opposition has arisen as to whom so legible to receiving this treatment.
Euthanasia is described as, “Intentionally making someone die rather than allowing that person to die naturally. Put bluntly, euthanasia means killing in the name of compassion[...]In euthanasia, one person does something that directly kills another. For example, a doctor gives a lethal injection to a patient”(IAETF 1). While euthanasia advocates believe that American citizens should have the right to die, anti-euthanasia advocates believe that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide defies nature and could be harmful to those who cannot defend themselves, such as disabled people. Due to the complexity of euthanasia, it is a morality issue, stemming from the question of whether or not doctors should be able to kill their patients in the name of compassion. Campaigns such as Right to Die - a