L07 - Euthanasia

Question 1

Define euthanasia.

Answer 1

The active undertaking of any act which directly leads to the end of life for the sake of alleviating suffering

Question 2

What is voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 2

A patient is competent, informed, and requests it

Question 3

What is involuntary euthanasia?

Answer 3

A patient is competent but is not asked

Question 4

What is non-voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 4

A patient is not competent and therefore cannot be asked

Question 5

What is active euthanasia?

Answer 5

Doing an act of commission which leads to death

Question 6

What is passive euthanasia?

Answer 6

Doing an act of omission or withdrawal which leads to death

Question 7

Define physician-assisted suicide.

Answer 7

A healthcare professional provides the means for life to be ended, but doesn’t actively undertake the causal act

Question 8

Define assisted dying.

Answer 8

A more nebulous, politically palatable term for physician-assisted suicide

Question 9

What is the legal status of euthanasia in the UK?

Answer 9

• Active euthanasia is illegal

- Passive euthanasia is lawful if treatment is futile or it is accommodating a competent patient request

Question 10

What is the difference between motive and intention?

Answer 10

• Motive is the driving force behind an act

- Intention is the objective of the act

Question 11

How do motive and intention affect legality of euthanasia?

Why does this mean that active euthanasia is considered to be murder?

Answer 11

• Motive plays no part in the law, whereas intention does
• The intention of euthanasia and murder are the same (to end life), so euthanasia is classed as murder despite having different motives (in euthanasia, the motive to alleviate suffering)

Question 12

List 3 reasons to justify DNACPR.

Answer 12

1 - A dying patient is at foreseeable risk of cardiac and respiratory arrest and CPR is not clinically appropriate

2 - The risks and uncertainty of the outcome of CPR could outweigh potential benefits

3 - A patient with capacity has expressed a wish not to be given CPR

Question 13

What is an advanced decision?

Answer 13

A written and witnessed document that enables someone with capacity to refuse a specified medical treatment for a time in the future when they lack capacity

Question 14

What are 2 arguments for euthanasia?

Answer 14

1 - Autonomy

2 - Compassion for reducing suffering

Question 15

What are 6 arguments against euthanasia?

Answer 15

1 - Impact on the provider of euthanasia

2 - Sanctity of life

3 - Playing God / argument from nature

4 - Potential to recover

5 - May cause more suffering

6 - ‘Slippery slope’ argument

Question 16

What is the doctrine of double effect?

Answer 16

• It is permissible to do something with the intent of moral good, even if you anticipate a morally bad side effect
• For example the administration of morphine to a patient in pain to relieve this pain, however it also speeds up death via respiratory drive suppression - the intent was to relieve the patient’s pain