Euthanasia
Euthanasia, also known as mercy-killing or assisted-suicide, is a way to end one’s life to end suffering by lethal injection or asphyxiation via deprivation of oxygen. This practice is performed by authorized doctors. Believe it or not, 55 percent of medical practitioners and about 86 percent of the public supports assisted-suicide. Euthanasia has only been approved in a few places around the world. These places include Albania, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Oregon. Should euthanasia be legal everywhere in the United States?
Many people believe that since advanced medical security has made it possible to enhance human life span and quality, the life of a human should be protected as much as possible. It has been said that there are multiple palliative care and rehabilitation centers that may be better alternatives to help patients approaching death to live free of pain and have a better life until their natural decease date. One concern regarding legalization of euthanasia is that family members may play a larger part in the decision for the procedure to be done than they really should. People in the family may pressure the patient into it just for their own personal gains, such as wealth inheritance. There is no way to be sure of their intentions; people can be very selfish when it comes to money. On top of all that, there is not one doctor that can firmly predict when death is upon a patient. There is always a possibility of remission or recovery. Miracles can happen. With the option of the assisted-suicide, doctors and families may be prompted to give up on recovery much too early. Lastly, and most importantly concerning the doctor, euthanasia violates the Hippocratic Oath, which includes a statement saying “First, do no harm”. Each and every doctor is required to take this oath upon receiving a medical degree.
Why can’t the patient have the right to shorten his or her own life to escape intolerable anguish if a patient...