Euthanasia

by Punam Kharbuja Euthanasia comes from a Greek word meaning 'pleasant death '. It 's refers the killing of a person to end their suffering from terminal illness. The subject euthanasia is a highly controversial and divisive topic raising an array of sophisticated moral. ethical, legal and religious concern all over the world. Many of these were aired in the case of Tony Nickilson, a locked-in syndrome sufferer who went to the high court to fight to be allowed to end his life with the help of doctor. Mr Nickilson was paralysed from neck down for 7 years after an accident which left him helpless and in extreme depression living his life. But he was devastated to know that he had lost his case. In a statement issued through his lawyers, he added, "I am saddened that the law wants to condemn me to a life of increasing indignity and misery." His wife said she will continue fighting for his right to die as it was very painful seeing her husband suffer. Likewise, another case of Dianne Petty who was dying of motor neurone disease, wanted the court to giver her husband immunity from prosecution if he was to help her die. But in 2001, the house of Lords refused her application. They are many other cases similar to these happening all around the world, which are very complex to debate as it has equally strong arguments for and against euthanasia. But according to my personal opinion, I believe people like them should have the right to choose a painless and dignified end at right circumstances, in the case of extreme pain and suffering, helplessness, and the permanent loss of those things which have made life worth living for this individual. Their wishes should be respected as after all its their own life their decisions are based on. The compassionate argument is that allowing people to die with dignity is kinder than forcing them to continue their lives with suffering and it is even more agonising for their family to watch their loved ones suffer a slow and painful death, Jesus said, "do unto others as you would have them do to you. If you were suffering, you want your life to end". The legalisation of assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia was once thought to be unthinkable in this country. Yet public demand for the right to die has grown hugely recently (to 74% according to the poll in 2010 by The Times.) Another source conducted in July 2011, raises a question "Do you think the british law should be kept as it is or should it be changed so that people with terminal disease have the right to ask close friends or relatives to help them commit suicide, without those friends or relatives risking prosecution ?" 17% voted that the law should be kept as it is while 68% agreed that the law should be changed to allow assisted suicide in these circumstances. Source: Assisted suicide laws, yougov ptc (www.yougov.com) Many other studies conducted on this topic shows that the majority of people have supported the legalisation of euthanasia in their society. Even under the English law, all adults have the right to refuse medical treatment even if that treatment is required to save their life, as long as they have sufficient capacity. However, there are many contradictions and conflicting viesws in legalising euthanasia, no matter how many people support and agree that it should be allowed. The biggest concern is that legalised voluntary suicide could eventually lead to significant unintended changes in our healthcare system and society at large that we would later come to regret. The first concern relates to the capacity of a terminal ill patient to give informed consent for their own killing. Most of the terminally ill patients wouldn 't be able to make a sound decision as their judgement is adversely affected by their illness.
Likewise very ill people with severe disabilities may feel pressured to request euthanasia unwillingly so that they are not a burden to their family. The 'Right to Die ' will soon become 'duty to die '. These will create fear in ill, elderly and disabled people and anxiety about the effects of his illness on others. For example, elderly people in Netherlands are so fearful of being killed by doctors that they carry cards saying they do not want euthanasia. , according to campaigner who says allowing assisted suicide in Britian would put the vulnerable at risk and may cause the voluntary suicide to become involuntary. Another major argument is that asking doctors, nurses or health care professionals to carry out euthanasia would violate their most fundamental medical ethics. This could lead to a lack of compassion when dealing with terminally ill, elderly and disabled patients and the break of trust between the healthcare professional and patient relationship. Moreover, this could discourage research into palliative treatment and possibility cures for people with illness and sometimes doctors may occasionally be badly mistaken about the patient 's diagnosis which may lead to patient choosing euthanasia as they have been wrongly told that they are suffering from a terminal condition. Overall the healthcare service will be negatively affected. The other group of arguments deployed against it, is religious. Many religion do not recognise a right to die regarding suicide as a sin and morally wrong justifying the view the life has intrinsic value and must not be destroyed. In short, legalising euthanasia will change our lives forever. Our world will become a harder and more selfish place, where the weak will have no voice and no value. Therefore, the Government must reject calls for legalisation on grounds of public safety and not personal morality. In conclusion the Euthanasia debate is a very large one with many arguments, both for and against. This argument will probably not be solved for many years and even then a lot people will be displeased with the decision made. The arguments put across in this essay are very strong and go into a lot of depth when talked over in full. Since we human being as an individual all have different opinions and views, the only answers we can get is by asking ourselves ,what would you decide if you were one among the terminally ill patient with no cure available - would you live your life suffering miserably awaiting for a possible cure or chose a pleasant death instead?

References:

Lisa Firth (sept, 2011), Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide (Cambridge: Independence Educational Publishers)

'Tony nickilson 's family carry on right-to-die fight ', at www.bbc.co.uk/news December 2012

References: Lisa Firth (sept, 2011), Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide (Cambridge: Independence Educational Publishers) 'Tony nickilson 's family carry on right-to-die fight ', at www.bbc.co.uk/news December 2012