What is
euthanasia?
Euthanasia can be defined as the intentional killing by act or
omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged
benefit. This definition does not alone explain the various forms
and aspects of the act. Hence various definitions are used:
* Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed gives
consent to be killed.
* Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed is
incapable of giving consent or does not give consent.
* Assisted suicide: In this case some other person or a doctor
provides with an information, guidance and the means to put an end
to a life. When a doctor helps another person to kill himself it
is called "physician assisted suicide."
* Active euthanasia: One person deliberately kills another person.
* Passive euthanasia: There are two definitions used to explain
passive euthanasia – Removal of life-sustaining medical treatment
from a person at their request. Under this definition, the death
of the person is not wanted but pain-relief or suffering-relief
actions are taken that indirectly cause the death of the person.
The other definition involves intentionally causing death by
withholding or withdrawing necessary and ordinary care or food and
water.
What is the difference between euthanasia
and assisted suicide?
Euthanasia and assisted suicide can be distinguished by
considering the act without which the death would not occur. If a
third party or a person performs the last act that intentionally
leads to patient’s death, then it is called euthanasia. For
example, giving a patient a lethal injection or putting a plastic
bag over her head to suffocate her would be considered euthanasia.
On the other hand, it is an assisted suicide when the patient
himself performs an act that leads to death, but has been assisted
by a doctor or some other person. Thus it would be assisted
suicide if the patient dies after swallows the overdose of drug
provided by his doctor for the purpose of causing death.
Is euthanasia legal?
Euthanasia is illegal in most parts of the world. The state of
Oregon in the USA and The Netherlands are the only two
jurisdictions in the world where laws specifically permit
euthanasia or assisted suicide. Oregon permits assisted suicide.
The Netherlands permits both euthanasia and assisted suicide. In
India, neither act is legal.
In 1995 Australia’s Northern Territory approved a euthanasia bill.
It went into effect in 1996 but was overturned by the Australian
Parliament in 1997. Also, in 1997, Colombia’s Supreme Court ruled
that penalties for mercy killing should be removed.
Should a person have the right to commit
suicide?
About a million people commit suicide annually, worldwide. People
do have the power to commit suicide but neither suicide nor an
attempt to suicide is criminalised.
Suicide is an individual act but euthanasia and assisted suicide
are not. As, they involve one person facilitating the death of
another. This is a matter of public concern since it can lead to
abuse, exploitation and erosion of care for the most vulnerable
people society. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not about
giving rights to the person who dies but, instead, they are about
changing public policy so that doctors or others can directly and
intentionally end or participate in ending another person’s life.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not about the right to die but
about the right to kill.
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