euthanasia
TRANSCRIPT
EUTHANASIA
Date: 30 October 2013
Student: Romina Jurinjak
THE DEFINITION OF EUTHANASIA
The word “euthanasia” originates from the Greek words eu- (good) and thanatos (death).
According to the World Medical Association euthanasia means: “deliberate and intentional action with a clear intention to end another person’s life under the following conditions: the subject is a competent informed person with incurable illness who voluntary asked for ending his life; the person who is acting knows about the state of this person and about his wish to die and is doing this action with an intention to end life of this person; the action is done with compassion and without any personal profit”.
FORMS OF EUTHANASIA
Active euthanasia means ending life of a suffering person on his own request by another person, mostly by a doctor, and most of the time by lethal injection.
This form has two varieties: non-voluntary and involuntary.
Passive euthanasia means acceleration of death by letting the patient die naturally.
Assisted suicide – the suffering person dies with another person’s help.
MORAL QUESTIONS
Is it ever right to end the life of a terminally ill patient
who is undergoing severe pain and suffering?
Under what circumstances can euthanasia be
justifiable, if at all?
Is there moral difference between killing someone
and letting them die?
Should human beings have the right to decide on
issues on life and death?
ARGUMENTS AGAINST EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia devalues human life.
Euthanasia can become a means of health care
cost containment.
It might weaken society`s resolve to expand
services and resources aimed at caring for the dying
patient.
Euthanasia would not only be for people who are
terminally ill.
ARGUMENTS FOR EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia provides a way to relieve extreme pain.
Euthanasia provides a way of relief when a person’s
quality of life is low.
Euthanasia frees up medical funds to help other
people.
It is another case of freedom of choice – the right to
commit suicide.
EUTHANASIA IN TODAY’S WORLD
Countries which have legitimized euthanasia:
- the Netherlands
- Belgium
- Oregon, Montana and Washington in the USA
- Switzerland (only assisted suicide)
Euthanasia in the Netherlands
It is the first country where euthanasia has been
allowed since 1994.
Criteria of practising euthanasia:
- the patient has to be competent and the request
must be voluntary and intentional,
- the patient has to suffer unbearably,
- euthanasia has to be the last choice,
- euthanasia can be done only by a doctor.
Euthanasia in Belgium
The euthanasia law was adopted in 2001. it provides all patients with access to free painkilling
medication - no patient requests VE as a result of their poverty, or because their pain cannot be treated.
if a person is not in the terminal stages of their illness, a third medical opinion needs to be sought.
Lastly, patients must be over eighteen years of age.
Euthanasia in Switzerland
Assisted suicide is legitimized, but not euthanasia The patient himself commits suicide at special
clinics. The doctor prescribes a poison which causes death
– the patient himself has to drink the poison, otherwise it is a normal murder, which is considered a crime.
“Suicide tourism” – foreigners can come to Switzerland and commit assisted suicide.
Euthanasia in the USA
Euthanasia is illegal in all states.
In Oregon, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act gives
terminally ill, mentally competent people the option
of an assisted death.
Washington state voted in favour of a assisted
dying law modelled on the Oregon legislation,
physician-assisted suicide is not "against public
policy" in the state of Montana.
Euthanasia in the Republic of Croatia
In Croatia there are currently only couple of rules related to euthanasia:
Codex of Medical Ethics, the Act on Protection of Patients’ Rights,Criminal Code
Active euthanasia is forbidden but the question on passive euthanasia proved to be highly controversial issue.
Problem:
It is not clear at what point someone is considered to be dying patient
There has never been a single case of euthanasia in front of Croatian courts
Croatian legal system does not recognize killing by omission as a special offence
REFERENCES Euthanasia.com. Euthanasia Pros and Cons. Web. 29 October 2013
<http://www.euthanasia.com/prosoncs.html>.
Marker, R. L., Hamlon, K. Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Frequently Asked Questions. 2010. Web. 29 October 2013. <http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/frequently-asked-questions->.
Lostallhope.com. Euthanasia and assisted suicide, US euthanasia law Web. 29 October 2013
˂ http://lostallhope.com/euthanasia-assisted-suicide/us-euthanasia-law ˃
Croatia: Politics, Legislation, Patients' Rights and Euthanasia (96-102)
Napisao/la Brigitte E.S.Jansen, Nada Gosic, Hrovje Juric, Amir Muzur, Ivar Rincic