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Rebecca Song
Ms. Lily Ahn
MS Prep 2
20 August 2017
Euthanasia
When a patient is in a very horrid physical state, would it be better to die in peace before
an expected date or suffer in pain until their death? Euthanasia is when a patient with a terminal
illness chooses to die sooner than an expected date. In Greek, Euthanasia can be translated
into “good death” or “easy death”. A lot of people think that euthanasia is suicide. However,
many others that support euthanasia know that it can actually help a patient when they are in
severe pain. Euthanasia is painless, which means that people with incurable diseases can die
peacefully. Fortunately, when a patient wants to be euthanized, they get to choose. They are
capable enough to control their own way of living and have the freedom to decide. They
wouldn’t want someone else to tell them whether to live or die. When they die, their organs can
be sent to a lab in order to help find possible cures. When a patient gets euthanized, it would be
devastating for family members or friends.On the other hand, they would die in peace, while
making their last choice, to also save other people.
Patients can end severe pain right away when they are euthanized. Instead of suffering
the last few days to live, dying earlier on a bed is more comfortable. In 2015, around 3.7% of
deaths in the Netherlands were caused from euthanasia. Most of the deaths reported by
euthanasia conclude from between 0.3% to 4.6%. As you can see, not a lot of people are
euthanized. However, this is mostly because euthanasia is illegal in a lot of countries. They all
think that killing someone peacefully is terrible. If a patient decides to stay alive until their final
day, it would be a really poor choice. Mostly because they would be living all for nothing after
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suffering. They are going to end up dead soon anyway. It is sad to leave family and friends, but
going through extreme pain the last few days would be worse. Euthanasia can kill you
painlessly and, at the same time, can bring you to peace and quiet.
People have the right to control their OWN life. Others can not tell someone or force
someone to die or live. It would probably feel good to make your final choice before you die.
There are two types of euthanasia: Voluntary euthanasia and Involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary
euthanasia is when the patient chooses to get euthanized or not. Involuntary euthanasia is
when a family member or guardian chooses for the patient to whether die or live. There are
times when Involuntary euthanasia is needed. For example, the decisions of being euthanized
are mostly not discussed with the patients are 77.9%. This means that most of the people that
are euthanized don't even get to choose whether to live or die. That would be really
heartbreaking because that feels like family member telling or forcing you to die. America is a
free country. Since the patient is doing no harm to anyone, no one should interfere in their
choice. Whether being euthanized or not, it should be the patient's choice of whether to live or
die.
When a person dies or is euthanized, they would not need their internal organs.
anymore. In the world, there are always people around the world that are in need for organs.
Euthanized people can give their organs to those in need. In a news article, it says, “Doctors are
impressed by the superior condition of lungs taken from people who killed by lethal injection
compared to those extracted from those killed in accidents. Surgeons in Leuven between 2007
and 2009 successfully transplanted four pairs of lungs from people who died from euthanasia.”
This means that the doctors were able to take 4 pairs of lungs from euthanized people and
successfully transplanted them to those in need. Gladly, the people in need were saved from
patients that were euthanized. Many people believe that this is not possible because the organs
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are drugged. However, these surgeons from Leuven transplanted these organs successfully.
When euthanized, you can save other people's lives.
The is an oath that is taken by doctors called “The Hippocratic Oath”. The Hippocratic
oath states this, “...I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a
plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion…” This explains how
doctors will not use any type deadly drugs to end a patient's life whether they are asked to or
planned to, meaning euthanasia or assisted suicide. It is true that the doctor would be going
against the Hippocratic Oath if they give the patient the euthanasia. However, keeping a patient
alive with terminal illnesses is harming a patient. The Hippocratic Oath generally talks about not
harming or killing their patient. When keeping a patient alive, the doctor would technically be
harming and keeping them in agonizing pain. This is something a doctor shouldn’t do to a
patient. Yes, the Oath may say to not inject patients with deadly drugs. However, keeping them
alive is also somewhat killing them. Letting their patient die painlessly with euthanasia is giving
them relief and peace.
Euthanasia is depressing especially since you’re leaving family and friends behind.
However, euthanasia is extremely helpful in many cases like when you want to end pain and
sufferings. Euthanasia does more than stop pain. Before your death, you get to make a choice
of life or death. It feels good and it is much better than an involuntary death. It is extremely
useful especially after a patient dies. You can save people that are in need for organs. This can
save millions of people around the world. It would be rather foolish to get rid of euthanasia
because of the large amounts of benefits that follow it. Euthanasia can help a lot of people and
even the patient being euthanized. To conclude, euthanasia should not be illegal and should be
allowed everywhere because everyone has the freedom to choose!
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Bibliography
● http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/8572849/Organs-of-
those-killed-by-euthanasia-being-used.html
● http://theconversation.com/in-places-where-its-legal-how-many-people-are-endin
g-their-lives-using-euthanasia-73755
● http://www.statisticbrain.com/euthanasia-statistics/
● http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/hippocratic-oath-today.html
● http://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/divisions-diagnostics-and-procedures/me
dicine/euthanasia
● https://bioethics.georgetown.edu/2016/02/involuntary-euthanasia-without-consent
-by-patients/
