A Peaceful Way Out
... end the patient’s life; and passive non-voluntary euthanasia: where medical treatment or life-support is withdrawn or withheld from a patient, without the patient’s request, in order to end the patient’s life,”(Pakes72-73). I agree, the last two forms of euthanasia that do not include a patient’s formal request and/or permission to end the patient’s life is murder, but the first two forms of euthanasia that are only performed with the patient’s request and physician-assisted suicide are prime examples of a patient’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Because the life-ending behaviors are indirectly forms of murder either way you slice them, there are legal boundaries that limit the conditions in which patients choose their treatment. Oregon, the Netherlands, and Belgium are the only three places in the world that allow euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide take place. While each of these places may seem a tad bit liberal for passing the acts, the acts did not pass with ease. Therefore, each of these places must have various conditions that must be met by the physicians and patients in order to have euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as a treatment option. Although some of the criteria for these laws vary, the three places have the same basic guidelines, “such conduct should be voluntary matter for both physician and patient; that all acts of euthanasia should be notified to a relevant body; that the legal framework only apples to certain types of patients in certain medical conditions; that all patient requests to have medical life-ending behaviour performed upon them are considered, informed and repeatedly made; and that the life-ending behaviour is performed with due care and attention,”(Pakes72). In addition to the general conditions that must be met, the Oregon laws are stricter including: a written request, a strict time period between the written request and the actual act to avoid hastened death and irrational decisions, an intensive review session of the case by professionals, a psychological examination of the patient, a physical examination of the patient, and the patient must be a competent adult that is well aware of their condition and other treatment options, and finally a declared statement from medical professionals that the patient is terminally ill. In the United States, medical professionals define a patient as terminally ill when the patient has between zero to six months to live and the patient is going through agonizing pain. As a result of the various criteria, there are stiff penalties and fines that apply to any physician or patient whom overstep the conditions. If there is not a written request, a review committee’s approval of action, the medical proof of a patient’s illness, then the physician will have murder charges again him. These laws protect the patient and the doctor from any malpractice and abuse. The acceptance of these acts will not flaw our justice system, but in many ways make it stronger. The acceptance of a patient’s medical condition, prognosis, and options to a terminal disease will give the patient a chance to pass on in a dignified manner without feeling like a burden to their loved ones as they slowly wither away to nothing but heavy, unneeded health costs. In the United States, the lack of health insurance compared to other countries is devastating. Because of the rising health costs and lack of insurance, many low-income patients turn to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in order to lower the financial burden on their loving family members after they have passed. Even though euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide logically follow the rights of any human to practice their autonomy in all medical situations, there is still the fact that emotional attachment of family members to the patient still exist. It is human nature for one to care and emotionally attach oneself to a close family member or a trusted friend, but it is also inhumane and selfish to leave a family member suffering against their will in order to fuel one’s egotism. For example, even when a person gets the flu, a curable and passing illness, a person feels sickly and unhealthy. The last thing a person would want is to have the same illness for an extended period of time while constantly being reminded and bothered with different prescriptions and tests to merely try to improve their state. A patient that is terminally ill will not only be plagued with never knowing then their last day will be, having to mentally contemplate their medical bills, the guilt of leaving certain things undone, and worst of all, the feeling as if they are burdening the people that they love the most. Many times we do not see out sick loved ones as suffering and desperately in need of rest, instead we se what our lives would be life without them. We must let our loved ones decide for themselves what treatment and course of action they would like to take with their own sickness. Because of this, it is a health care professi...