The book starts with the definition of ethics, its historical attributions, moral reasoning, and bioethics. One of the most interesting parts of the book is chapter 13 on euthanasia and assisted suicide. A distinction was set to differentiate euthanasia from assisted suicide where euthanasia is referred to, as medical killing while assisted suicide is medical suicide. In euthanasia, the doctor alone is instrumental to the death of the patient for reasons attributed to the ethical concept of non-maleficence. The practice of euthanasia can be classified as passive and active where active refers to the act of removing the life support of the patient while passive can be described as not doing anything to save the patient leading eventually to death. In cases where the euthanasia was put into practice, voluntary, non-voluntary, and involuntary approach is being considered. When the patient had given consent to be subjected to the procedures leading to his death probably for the reason such as ending the long suffering, it is regarded as voluntary. If the patient does not have the capacity to make the decision for himself, the nearest kin makes the decision to euthanize the patient. However, when no apparent consent was provided by neither the patient nor the nearest kin, subjecting the patient to be euthanized is no less an act of murder, which in the annals of ethical conduct is highly unacceptable.
Among the chapters of the book, the one that catches the most attention is the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Its concept can be defined as the good death, which means bringing about a person’s death to relieve of distress or suffering (Devettere). For individuals suffering from extreme disability or unbearable pain, death seems as the best alternative for immediate relief. In the field of healthcare, the norms encompass a belief that it is the obligation and responsibility of medical professionals to enable one’s survival from disease or circumstances that impedes normal living conditions. The concept of euthanasia in medical practice suggests that death by consent is the last resort to end a long suffering, which apparently poses contradiction to the principles of ethics. It was discussed in the chapter that euthanasia is part of the medical practitioner’s obligation to fulfill, but the topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide is also a subject of argument both in the philosophical and medical field of reasoning.
Looking closely into the concepts and principles of ethical medical practices and the context of euthanasia and assisted suicide in Devettere (2009) book, it is apparent that assisted death is encompassing both the positive and negative perception of ethics. For example, non-maleficence or inflicting the least possible harm to another person in order to achieve beneficial outcome is considered part of the ethical decision-making process (Omonzejele). This ethical principle poses a dilemma towards physicians in deciding whether to euthanize a patient or not. In the process, when the all the possible options have been exhausted to relieve the patient of there suffering, the idea of mercy emerges as an emotional reflex that enables the decision to euthanize the patient. However, there is an apparent contradiction, if non-maleficence is to inflict less possible harm, therefore, euthanizing the patient is ethical in such a way that death will end the harm that pain brings to the patient. On the contrary, assisting a person to achieve death is unethical for the same reason that such action deprives the patient of his right to live (Grewal et al.), which in effect negates the obligation of the care professionals to save lives. On the other hand, the patient is also entitled to autonomy, which under the principles of ethics is the right of the patient for self-determination. In medical practice, autonomy is part of the physician’s ethical rule to honor the patient’s decisions, but in cases where the patient is unable to make a decision for himself and euthanasia is the only option at hand, the ethical disposition of either the physician or the patient’s family members becomes questionable within the concept of autonomy.
Works Cited
Devettere, Raymond J. Practical Decision Making In Health Care Ethics. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2010. Print.
Grewal, Bhajneek, Jennifer Harrison, and David Jeffrey. "Licensed To Kill – The Impact Of Legalising Euthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide On The Training Of UK Medical Students". Scottish Universities Medical Journal 1.1 (2012): 6-13. Web.
Omonzejele, Peter. "Obligation Of Non-Maleficence: Moral Dilemma In Physician-Patient Relationship". A Peer-review Journal of Biomedical Sciences 4.1 (2005): 22-30. Web. 9 Apr. 2016.
