Human Euthanasia: Yes or No?
Human Euthanasia: Yes or No? Have you ever wanted to end it all? Many people who have chronic illnesses, such as cancer, would rather die than endure one more day of suffering. They want to die by assisted suicide, or euthanasia. Euthanasia should not be legal for many reasons. There have been drastic advances in medicine. Also, the decision making process can easily be compromised. There is major risk of abuse. Furthermore there are many religious issues. Lastly, if done incorrectly, euthanasia can fail, causing the person to suffer more. For example, drastic improvements have been made in the medicinal field. Doctors now have the power to save more lives than ever. “Using new medications, they can reduce the suffering of, or even cure a chronically ill human being” (Andre, Velasquez). Why should a person end his or her life if they can be cured of their disease? People who can be treated with medication should not be given the means to end their lives early. Hematologists and oncologists are exposed to terminally ill patients daily. A 1994 survey of physicians in Washington showed that these doctors opposed euthanasia most strongly. Psychiatrists were also surveyed. They had much less contact with the terminally ill, yet they strongly supported euthanasia (Boyko). This shows that those who are around these ill patients daily do not think euthanasia is a practical practice. Next, the decision making process can easily be compromised. If a patient is terminally ill, there is no way to know if they are thinking as they would if they were not sick. The patient may not know the exact situation he or she is in. “The patient needs to be capable of understanding the decision and its implications. The presence of depression is relevant if it is distorting rational decision making (Blank, Bonnickson 192). Also, a doctor could be pushing a patient to a choice, simply because the doctor no longer wants to care for that person. There are many variables for a person to
Cited: 1. Andre, Clare and Manuel Velasquez, Assisted Suicide: A Right or Wrong? scu.edu. Santa Clara University, 2010. Web. Dec. 7, 2012 2. Battin, Margaret P., Arthur G. Lipman, Drug Use in Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. London, New York, Pharmaceutical Products Press, 1996. Web. 3. Blank, Robert H., Bonnickson, Andrea L., Medicine Unbound: The Human Body and the Limits of Medical Intervention. n.p, n.d. Web. 4. Boyko, Edward J., Attitudes Toward Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia Among Physicians in Washing State. nejm.org. New England Journal of Medicine, July 14, 1994. Web. Dec. 6, 2012 5. Declaration on Euthanasia. May 5, 1980. newadvent.org. New Advent Church.