The Pros And Cons Of Euthanasia In Health Care

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Euthanasia Euthanasia is a word whose roots can be traced back to Greece where it meant good death. It encompasses various dimensions, from active where something is introduced to cause death, to passive where treatment or supportive actions are withheld. It also varies from voluntary euthanasia where one consents to it, to involuntary where a guardian can give consent and doctor assisted in which the doctors prescribes the medication and a third party or patient administers the prescription to cause death. Wishes for premature death have significantly contributed to the long debate regarding the role of this practice in the current health care. The debate however cuts across dynamic and complex aspects like ethical, legal, health, human rights, economic, religious, social, spiritual and cultural aspects of the enlightened society (Math & Chaturvedi, p. 889). Here, this intricate issue is argued from both sides of the ongoing debate and also the plight of the caregivers and the victims. Euthanasia has always been defined as easy and gentle death especially in cases of painful and incurable illness. It has also been referred to as mercy killing of those considered hopelessly ill, incapacitated or injured patients. It is a matter of life and death. To medical practitioners the dilemma remains: prolong

In fact, traditional medical objectives remain intact and that includes caring, curing and alleviating patient’s suffering. Opponents of euthanasia would thus question the core morality of medicine if the fundamental objective were altered in ways that are not compatible with the protection of human dignity, such ending the life of a patient. Medical ethics thus appreciates the rights of any physician to denounce the practices of euthanasia. Practitioner’s moral or religious values are generally regarded as valuable rationales to object such practices as euthanasia (Nunes & Rego, p.