This week in my Philosophy and Ethics in Healthcare class we discussed euthanasia. According to the National Cancer Institute, “an easy or painless death, or the intentional ending of the life of a person suffering from an incurable or painful disease at his or her request.“ (1).
We had a guest lecturer from Belfast come in and talk about euthanasia and the philosophy behind it. Euthanasia is a conflicting subject due to the result. Below is a map of the worldwide legalization of euthanasia.
Euthanasia is a very ethically difficult subject because despite everything that is happening, the end result is death.
Throughout the class we discussed every person’s right to life. So I what happens to patient autonomy? Patient autonomy falls second to a their right to life.
Where does that leave us? There really is no correct answer. You have to respect your own morals, but also respect the patient’s wishes. Adding laws into the moral decision makes it that much harder. Many places throughout the world don’t allow it because you, as a medical professional, are ending someone’s life.
In my opinion, euthanasia should never be legal anywhere. Purposely ending the life of someone, even if it is an option medically, should never be a moral option.
“NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms.” National Cancer Institute, http://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/euthanasia.
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