What Would You Want To Happen? (Euthanasia)

Member Name: JoandLee

Product:	Euthanasia
Date:	18/03/06 (1015 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Freedom Of Choice, End To Suffering

Disadvantages: Illegal

This really is one of those subjects where I doubt very much there will be two people with the same opinion, what you are about to read is my opinion and I hope that it causes no offense to anyone. Not only will I put my opinions but I will outline the different "types" of Euthanasia and hopefully raise awareness to why we need to be on top and have laws to protect patients but also allow them to die if they deisre.

Euthanasia has always been a part of our lives yet only in the last 30 - 40 years has there been so much stigma attached.

Euthanasia saves people from endless suffering. To my way of thinking if someone makes this request then should we not honour it? We live in a contradictive society, on one hand we are told that we have the freedom to make our own choices then we are told this does not include your right to die. Is this really fair?

If someone makes a living will that says I do not want to live
if things get to the stage where I have no control they should be allowedto die if they so desire doing so with the dignity that they have lived rather than living and being ashamed of what they have become.

Then there is voluntary euthanasia where someone else
makes the request for the suffering to end, this can either be the patient or a "competent" other usually the next of kin.

Involuntary Euthanasia
This is where the patient is given no choice. They are fully mentally aware and decide that they do not want to die but the choice is not taken and they are euthanized anyway. (this to me is murder and very different from the others as this person still loses their freedom of choice)

Nonvoluntary Euthanasia
This I believe is where the patient and their next of kin are not fully informed of the situation, i.e if the patient / kin is not told that they will be euthanized, if they are expecting to stay alive then for example their machinery is switched off without their knowledge then this too I disagee with as again there is no choice for the patient except unlike unvoluntary where they have been told it will happen eventhough they say no in this case they have no idea.

Direct Euthanasia
Direct euthanasia means the involvement of a Doctor / nurse inducing a patient’s death. This is where the patient has requested to die but cannot do so on their own so needs someone to do it for them, lethal injection. This is an alternative in case the patient, due to their illness, is incapable of e.g. drinking a potion, when the cup is handed to him or her. This should be allowed provided at least one other person is aware of the request to die.

Indirct Euthanasia
This is where the patient wants to die and so their doctor, physician etc prescribes or supplies them with the necessary drugs to do so. This I feel shoulod be the same as direct as long as there is someone esle who knows the patients wishes then there should be no repeicussions for the dr etc.

I realsie that euthanaisa can be used to better others rather than the patient but surely rather than have someone who is genuinely trying to give their kin/patients one last vital choice then they should not be tried for murder as they are merely letting them die as they have lived.

As for those who use it for their own profit then they deserve to rot in jail surely in todays society we are capable of distingushing between the two and put they guilty to jail and let those who do it out of innocence live as normal as they can they will always live with the guilt of what they have done eventhough it was what was wanted. Is that not punishment enough?

Summary: Some facts about euthanasia & my opinions on it