Euthanasia

Euthanasia- A “Merciful” Death

The practice of ending human life may seem morally wrong, but as long as the decision is solely up to the patient, I see no wrongdoing in doing so. Patients living with a chronic illness want to go peacefully and painfully. Many people look at it as an act of committing suicide. I disagree with that statement. If these patients were committing suicide, why would the term euthanasia would be given? There are many advances in medicine and technology nowadays and there are now many different ways were relieving pain and suffering can be done or is doable. The downfalls to those treatments leave patients bed rested for life or getting stuck with paying for highly expensive medications. No one wants to go through life having to be dependant on medicine to get him or her through day by day. Because the decision is the patients own, anyone to speak out against euthanasia should hold their comments until they are in a situation that has them choosing life or death.

Euthanasia is beneficial to the patient as well as the family. Patients who are not able to do everyday things no longer have to depend on others. Patients also can be relieved of the pain and suffering they deal with on daily basis. Euthanasia prevents the patient from having to live with their terminal illness as it continues to run its course and ruin their lives. By granting the patient’s wishes less harm will come to them. Euthanasia spares the patient the pain and suffering that may be part of the dying process, and is able to give the opportunity to grant the patient a mercifully easy death. In the era of the Roman Empire it was said by Michael Manning M.D., “It was essential that death be met with peace of mind and minimal pain” (Manning 6). We are not in the Roman Empire anymore but some things never change. If death were supposed to be met with pain and suffering, then medicine would not be needed. Phyllis Taylor states, “Individuals have a right to determine what happens to their body” (Taylor 140). Taylor makes a very bold statement. He is backed up by the Constitution. The Constitution declares we as Americans have the right to privacy. Our lives and how we live them are based on our personal and private decisions. His statement is just an example of autonomy which is our right to personal freedom. I have made it clear how it is beneficial to the patient. The next most important opinion is that of the family.

This issue may not be brought up in favor, but it is a very big deal. The issue is money being spent on the patients. The family can grieve properly once the patient’s last wishes have been granted. The family can now anticipate in celebrating the life of the patient and remember happy memories and deal with less suffering. If the patient decided to go through their life and be dependent in medication, there is no doubt that it would get very costly. Not only will the patient have to deal with their illness but the increase in expenses of medications as well. After living with the terminal illness and the costs of medication, the family would be left with a very steep debt. An argument made by David F. Kelly is “…the family has the authority to decide when the patient cannot” (Kelly 144). Kelly is saying that if the patient isn’t well enough or they are not in the “right state of mind”; the family can step in and make the life or death decision. In my opinion that is when “assisted suicide” becomes murder. That may seem like a harsh statement, but each individual has the right over their own life. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that someone can choose the fate of anyone’s life but their own. Money spent on treatment is a big deal, but what may be more important are the money saved and the good things that can come from euthanasia.

This statement may seem greedy and inhumane, but a lot can come out of euthanasia. When patients decide on euthanasia treatment, it frees up medical funds that can go towards finding cures for incurable diseases such as their own. They can also put the money towards saving patients that can be saved. The amount of money that goes into healthcare can be decreased and that makes for lower insurance premiums. Doctors and nurses assisting terminally ill patients can free up their time and save more people as well. A survey of 1,140 nurses show that “Conclusions As public debate continues about euthanasia and assisted suicide, some critical care nurses in the United States are engaging in such practices. “David A. Asch, M.D., M.B.A. (find source)

Another sad thing to look at is without physician assistants suicides are known to be tragic and messy.

One argument I find irrelevant to the topic of euthanasia is the discussion of religion. Martin E. Marty and Ron P. Hamel