We explain what euthanasia is, in which countries it is legal and what types exist. Also, the arguments for and against.
What is euthanasia?
Euthanasia is the conscious, intentional and voluntary medical procedure by which the life of a terminally ill patient is ended (that is, without any expectation of improvement), in order to save you further suffering and pain.
This procedure has, ideally, the voluntary approval and explicit request of the patient, or of his/her guardian, if he/she is unable to express his/her own will. In some countries and legislations it can also be called assisted suicide or assisted death.
Although euthanasia is based on a humanitarian principle, which is to shorten the unnecessary suffering of another individual, Its application and acceptance is enormously controversial in different cultures and legislations, generally established on the inalienable right to life.
Most religions see suicide as a sin or a reprehensible act, and therefore euthanasia as a form of medical complicity. In fact, there have been numerous cases in the recent history of legal litigation in which a person demanded that assistance be provided to him in dying, and was opposed by different public entities.
The word euthanasia comes from Greek and is composed of the words eu- (“good”) and thanatos (“death”), which originally meant “well to die,” that is, a dignified, peaceful death without physical suffering.
Countries with legal euthanasia
Euthanasia in its different types and protocols has been legalized in only a few countries, such as Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands .
Under the title of “assisted suicide” it has also been made legal in Switzerland, Germany, Japan and some states from USA : Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Colorado, California, Montana and Washington DC
Types of euthanasia
There are two ways to classify euthanasia: from the perspective of medical action, and from the perspective of the patient's will. Let's look at them separately:
- According to the doctor's actions. Generally a distinction is made between:
- Direct euthanasia. The patient's death is actively sought.
- Indirect euthanasia. Death occurs as a foreseeable consequence of palliative treatments, that is, those aimed in principle at relieving the patient's pain, such as the application of high doses of morphine.
- According to the patient's will. In principle, any form of euthanasia must be requested from doctors voluntarily by the patient or his representative, in the event that he cannot take care of himself. However, a distinction is usually made between:
- Volunteer. It is the patient himself who makes the decision and requests death, either in person or through a document he has left written.
- Not voluntary. It occurs when a third party makes the decision, such as a close relative or, in their absence, a legal representative, since the patient cannot be consulted due to his or her condition and has not left any type of writing in this regard.
Active and passive euthanasia
Direct euthanasia, which we saw in the previous apparatus, can in turn be classified into two types, depending on the type of medical procedure used to produce the death of the patient. Thus, we can distinguish:
- Active or positive euthanasia. It occurs in cases in which medical personnel intervene in the patient's body to produce death, supplying drugs or substances.
- Passive or negative euthanasia. It occurs in cases in which medical personnel do not intervene in the patient's body to save their life, but instead practice an omission of resuscitative or therapeutic procedures, to allow the patient to die.
Arguments in favor of euthanasia
The arguments in favor of euthanasia mostly have to do with the liberation of the patient from all pain and suffering (both physical, emotional and moral), in the face of a medical condition that has no escape and whose prognosis still points to death.
Thus, euthanasia is considered an act of mercy, which also respects the patient's right to self-determination, the sole owner of his or her own life.
On the other hand, the approval of euthanasia does not necessarily have negative impacts on society from a moral point of view. It is not that anyone can enter a hospital and request death because they are sad or depressed, but rather it requires very specific medical conditions.
The conditions required to perform euthanasia can be regulated and debated by the legislators of each country, in order to reconcile it with the local values and traditions of the country.
Arguments against euthanasia
The main arguments against euthanasia can be summarized in that not all deaths are painful or humiliating. Besides, There are already existing medical methods to relieve pain and accompany in death.
Furthermore, it is argued that voluntary death is still a death and therefore It has moral consequences both in the performing doctor and in society that tolerates it, which could lead to unexpected ethical dilemmas. On the other hand, it is considered an unnecessary procedure within the framework of contemporary medicine.
References
- “Euthanasia” on Wikipedia.
- “Euthanasia, dignified death, assisted suicide, what's the difference?” by Isabel F. Lantigua in Diario El Mundo (Spain).
- “Euthanasia: ethical, legal and medical perspective” by César Nombrela et al. In bioethics.
- “Euthanasia: controversy over the right to death” in Deutsche Welle (Germany).
- “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide” in the National Health Service (NHS).
- “Euthanasia” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
