Advantages and Disadvantages of Euthanasia

The term, ‘Euthanasia” came from the Greek word, ‘Euthanatos” which means “a good and easy death.” It is ending of the life of a person who has an incurable condition or any type of terminal illness which is causing excruciating pain or suffering. The decision to end someone’s life is sometimes made by either on the request of the person himself or doctors or family. The process is usually done by giving a lethal dose of a drug to induce death or not providing medicines or other sort of medical care that is necessary to keep the person alive.

This complex topic has been one of the significant debates of the last decades up till now which has not only come across ethics, morality, and human rights, but also health care (medical), practical, legal, spiritual, and religious aspects. Some debate in favor of Euthanasia and some are against it. I stand with those people who debate against Euthanasia because of the many reasons.

When a doctor or physician assists or suggest euthanasia to his patient, it sends a perilous message to society or public that dying solves life’s problems of someone who is suffering from an illness whether it is mentally or physically ranging from less or curable illness to incurable or life threatening illness. There’s always a probability that a doctor’s diagnosis or assumption could be wrong as a doctor himself is not perfect and can make mistakes. What if the doctor makes a wrong diagnosis and the patient is not suffering from a life threating illness? What if the prognosis is wrong and the patient will not die quickly or even if it is correct, it’s unnecessary that the patient will die.

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He can get better and live a little longer. What if the patient does not receive a proper health care and the suffering could increase? So suggesting euthanasia for a patient is completely wrong.

Doctor’s purpose and job is to do the very best in healing the patient until his time is up and dies naturally. If voluntary euthanasia is legalized in countries, it will be used in wrong ways such as it will lead to the legalization of involuntary euthanasia. People can abuse their or others right to this process. People who are old aged, disabled, cannot be taken care of and who are difficult to look after can be given up to Euthanasia by their family members or requested by the person himself. This can also increase the suicide and homicide rate in some countries. Doctors could use this involuntary euthanasia and end up killing their patients to free hospital beds or to save money. So euthanasia leads to the failure to provide care to terminally ill patients. This is morally and ethically wrong and will stir up injustice in society. It is also very common for a person who is suffering or is in pain to think about dying. The physical suffering or pain, which he is in, takes a psychological toll on his mind. It is a short period that a patient goes through in which he sometimes feel worthless or a burden to his family member’s or questions or thinks that’ it is better to die than to live in this misery or suffer in this illness.” But this does not mean that he actually wants to die.

As it is known, that Science has advanced than before and is still advancing so some medicines or drugs can be made or given to a person who is suffering from an incurable disease or terminal illness. Other type of support should be provided such as proper palliative care (special medical care) to help relieve the patient from both physical and mental suffering. If palliative care is available to the patient, his life will become easy in a way as to relieve them from their discomfort. As of emotional support which cannot be given from medicines but can be provided by the effective palliative care which can go a long way to make the patient’s last journey of life less stressful and traumatic. It will give him and his loved ones a chance to spend quality time together and make final memories which can let him die in peace. So suggesting Euthanasia is not needed at all. Ending someone’s life to relieve them from their suffering is murder or homicide or if it is requested by the person himself is known as suicide or it is suggested by the physician himself then it is Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS).

If we take a look from the sight of religion than it is a great sin. God has created human beings and inserted soul in their bodies. It is rightfully his choice whether to take away life from someone or give a chance to live more and we are in no position or nobody to dwell or interfere in his matter and dealings. God has planned for each person and has a purpose for everything. Then we have no right to kill ourselves or someone else by carrying out the process of Euthanasia. One of the great philosopher’s, Immanuel Kant opposes Euthanasia and does not agree that it should be encouraged as according to him man is a rational being so he has no right to plan such a maxim like ‘If I am in a state of suffering or in a terrible condition that I have the right to end my life or give this right to either the doctor or my family’. Kant furthermore, says that if humanity is an end, meaning it will come to an end one day so no person has the right to take his life even in whatever condition he is. A man must act according to ways in which he does not disrespect other human beings or himself and if he acts in this way, then he is degrading or devaluing not only himself but others as well through choosing euthanasia is against the fundamental values and one’s own dignity.

Even if euthanasia brings a very few advantages, I still strongly oppose this process and believe that it shouldn’t be encouraged and allowed. It should be considered illegal everywhere. As to my opinion, its not moral or ethical at all to take away the life of someone even if they are seriously ill or suffering because every person regardless of age, gender, religion, status and race may live or should be given the right or chance to live and see his life till he dies naturally.