EUTHANASIA

Date: 30 October 2013

Student: Romina Jurinjak

THE DEFINITION OF EUTHANASIA

The word “euthanasia” originates from the Greek words eu- (good) and thanatos (death).

According to the World Medical Association euthanasia means: “deliberate and intentional action with a clear intention to end another person’s life under the following conditions: the subject is a competent informed person with incurable illness who voluntary asked for ending his life; the person who is acting knows about the state of this person and about his wish to die and is doing this action with an intention to end life of this person; the action is done with compassion and without any personal profit”.

FORMS OF EUTHANASIA

Active euthanasia means ending life of a suffering person on his own request by another person, mostly by a doctor, and most of the time by lethal injection.

This form has two varieties: non-voluntary and involuntary.

Passive euthanasia means acceleration of death by letting the patient die naturally.

Assisted suicide – the suffering person dies with another person’s help.

MORAL QUESTIONS

Is it ever right to end the life of a terminally ill patient

who is undergoing severe pain and suffering?

Under what circumstances can euthanasia be

justifiable, if at all?

Is there moral difference between killing someone

and letting them die?

Should human beings have the right to decide on

issues on life and death?

ARGUMENTS AGAINST EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia devalues human life.

Euthanasia can become a means of health care

cost containment.

It might weaken society`s resolve to expand

services and resources aimed at caring for the dying

patient.

Euthanasia would not only be for people who are

terminally ill.

ARGUMENTS FOR EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia provides a way to relieve extreme pain.

Euthanasia provides a way of relief when a person’s

quality of life is low.

Euthanasia frees up medical funds to help other

people.

It is another case of freedom of choice – the right to

commit suicide.

EUTHANASIA IN TODAY’S WORLD

Countries which have legitimized euthanasia:

- the Netherlands

- Belgium

- Oregon, Montana and Washington in the USA

- Switzerland (only assisted suicide)

Euthanasia in the Netherlands

It is the first country where euthanasia has been

allowed since 1994.

Criteria of practising euthanasia:

- the patient has to be competent and the request

must be voluntary and intentional,

- the patient has to suffer unbearably,

- euthanasia has to be the last choice,

- euthanasia can be done only by a doctor.

Euthanasia in Belgium

The euthanasia law was adopted in 2001. it provides all patients with access to free painkilling

medication - no patient requests VE as a result of their poverty, or because their pain cannot be treated.

if a person is not in the terminal stages of their illness, a third medical opinion needs to be sought. 

Lastly, patients must be over eighteen years of age.

Euthanasia in Switzerland

Assisted suicide is legitimized, but not euthanasia The patient himself commits suicide at special

clinics. The doctor prescribes a poison which causes death

– the patient himself has to drink the poison, otherwise it is a normal murder, which is considered a crime.

“Suicide tourism” – foreigners can come to Switzerland and commit assisted suicide.

Euthanasia in the USA

Euthanasia is illegal in all states.

In Oregon, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act gives

terminally ill, mentally competent people the option

of an assisted death.

Washington state voted in favour of a assisted

dying law modelled on the Oregon legislation,

physician-assisted suicide is not "against public

policy" in the state of Montana.

Euthanasia in the Republic of Croatia

In Croatia there are currently only couple of rules related to euthanasia:

Codex of Medical Ethics, the Act on Protection of Patients’ Rights,Criminal Code

Active euthanasia is forbidden but the question on passive euthanasia proved to be highly controversial issue.

Problem:

It is not clear at what point someone is considered to be dying patient

There has never been a single case of euthanasia in front of Croatian courts

Croatian legal system does not recognize killing by omission as a special offence

REFERENCES Euthanasia.com. Euthanasia Pros and Cons. Web. 29 October 2013

<http://www.euthanasia.com/prosoncs.html>.

Marker, R. L., Hamlon, K. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Frequently Asked Questions. 2010. Web. 29 October 2013. <http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/frequently-asked-questions->.

Lostallhope.com. Euthanasia and assisted suicide, US euthanasia law Web. 29 October 2013

˂ http://lostallhope.com/euthanasia-assisted-suicide/us-euthanasia-law ˃

Croatia: Politics, Legislation, Patients' Rights and Euthanasia (96-102)

 Napisao/la Brigitte E.S.Jansen, Nada Gosic, Hrovje Juric, Amir Muzur, Ivar Rincic