Good The Two Sides Of Euthanasia Report Example

Euthanasia is synonymously known as mercy killing, physician-assisted suicide or terminal sedation. The word has its origin in the two Greek words Eu (well) and Thanatos (death). Euthanasia is legal in some countries and is practiced to relieve the pain and suffering of the patient. However, it is greatly opposed by religious, philosophical and social bodies in some places.
The patient, his or her spouse or the family may ask for euthanasia. But, the approval of euthanasia is only granted if the patient experiences remitting pain and extreme physical debility. One of the most discussed arguments against euthanasia is that it is irreversible. The patient cannot be brought back once he is gone. The family or spouse of the terminally-ill patients may have false hopes about the preservation of health of the patient. However, in case of patients experiencing extreme pain or those who are in the coma since many years, euthanasia may be the last resort. After all, it is better to ‘die with dignity’ than ‘just existing.’
Some people claim that the euthanasia is against the religion and is immoral. They argue that the pain and suffering of the patient may be alleviated by drugs. Also, it is feared that if the voluntary euthanasia is legalized, the involuntary euthanasia may also come into existence. Legalization of this practice will aid in medical malpractices, and ‘legal’ murders may become prevalent in the hospitals. Therefore, strict and stringent regulations and laws need to be laid down before legalization of euthanasia.
People who vote for legalization of euthanasia argue that in poor countries, the hospital resources are scarce, and the number of doctors per patient is very less. Therefore, keeping a ‘sure to die’ person alive may cost those who are expected to live longer. On the other hand, if a family keeps a patient on life-support systems for years, it may end up in bankruptcy. This is because the hospital expenses of the sick family member exceed the expenses of the whole of the family.
Some healthcare professionals say that the practice of euthanasia violates their oath ‘Do no harm.’ However, putting a terminally-ill patient to death is an act of kindness and helps him to die with dignity. We can conclude that euthanasia is a debatable and complex issue with some points favoring its legalization and others condemning it as an idea as well as practice.