Social Justice Issues
Euthanasia
What is Euthanasia?
Also called mercy killing. The act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures,a person or animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. (dictionary.reference.com)
Euthanasia In Australia
Euthanasia Is Murder
Letting Go
Facts About Euthanasia
Statistics
Public who support euthanasia for those terminally ill or on life support: 86%
Average percent of terminally ill patients who have to die in pain: 55%
How long one physician spent in jail because of assisted suicide: 8 years
Countries and places in the world where euthanasia is legal: 4
Types Of Euthanasia
Involuntary: to end a person's without their knowledge or consent
Active: by ending a person's life by the use drugs, whether with oneself or with the aid of a physician
Passive: to end a person's by not taking the necessary and ordinary measure to maintain life (e.g. Withdrawing water, food, drugs, medical and surgical procedures)
Physician-Assisted Suicide: suicide accomplished with the aid of a medical doctor intentionally providing a person with an overdose of prescription medication
Assisted Suicide: suicide accomplished with the aid of another person
(http://www.terrisfight.org/facts-about-euthanasia/)
For And Against Euthanasia
- It provides a way to relieve extreme pain
- It provides a way of relief when a person's quality of life is low
- Frees up medical funds to help other people
- It is another case of freedom of choice
AGAINST:
- Euthanasia devalues human life
- Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment
- Physicians and other medical care people should not be involved in directly causing death
- There is a "slippery slope" effect that has occurred where euthanasia has been first been legalized for only
the terminally ill and later laws are changed to allow it for other people or to be done non-voluntarily.
(http://www.euthanasia.com/proscons.html)