Euthanasia Flashcards
What is Euthanasia ?
Often people call euthanasia mercy killing. This is when a terminal ill or suffering person asked for help to die.
When dealing with a patient in the Netherlands that requests Euthanasia, doctors observe what?
-Be satisfied that the patient’s request is voluntary
and well-considered.
-Be satisfied that the patient’s suffering is
unbearable and that there is no prospect of
improvement.
-Inform the patient of his or her situation and
further prognosis.
-Discuss the situation with the patient and come
to the joint conclusion that there is no other
reasonable solution.
-Consult at least one other physician with no
connection to the case, who must then see the
patient and state in writing that the attending
physician has satisfied the due care criteria listed
in the four points above.
-Exercise due medical care and attention in
terminating the patient’s life or assisting in his/
her suicide.
What is Voluntary Euthanasia?
Voluntary euthanasia simple means that a person wishes to die and wants help to do so. This can take many forms:
Asking direct help to die
Refusing medical treatment
Asking for medical treatment to be withdrawn or life support to be stopped
Refusing food
What is Involuntary euthanasia ?
Involuntary euthanasia is not openly supported by any group in the UK or Ireland. It means that a person wants to live but is killed anyway. This is usually murder but not always.
What is active euthanasia?
Directly and deliberately causing a patients death death eg by an overdose of pain-killers
What is passive euthanasia ?
Withdrawing or withholding medical treatment deliberately allow a patient to die.
What is Non-voluntary euthanasia?
The person cannot make a decision or cannot make their wishes known regarding euthanasia, and someone makes the decision on their behalf.
What is palliative euthanasia ?
Medical, emotional or spiritual care given to a person who is terminally ill and is aimed at reducing suffering rather than a cure.
What the arguments for euthanasia ?
-Many people think a person has a right to control to his or her life and should be able to determine at what time and in what way he or she dies.
A civilised society should allow people to die in dignity without pain.
UK law already acknowledges that people have the right to die. The Suicide Act UK 1961 and the Criminal Justice Act NI 1966 made it legal for people to take their own lives.
Euthanasia is used for animals when their pain becomes too severe -why not humans?
Euthanasia protects family and friends from the unnecessary pain of watching a loved one suffer an agonising death.
What are the arguments against euthanasia?
Human life is sacred because it is a gift from God. Only God should decide when to end it.
Euthanasia forces doctors to break the Hippocratic Oath.
Accepting Euthanasia suggests that some lives are worth less than others. All human lives should be valued, irrespective of age, sex, race, religion, social status or their potential for achievement.
If euthanasia was made legal, the laws regulating it would be abused and people would be killed who didn’t want to die.
Vulnerable people-the elderly, lonely, sick or distressed-would feel pressure, whether real or imagined, to request an early death.
Proper palliative care makes euthanasia unnecessary.
