Euthanasi The Four Ethical Issues In Palliative Care

Running Header: Ethical Reasonings Ethical Reasonings for the Legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide The moral issue of whether or not Physician Assisted Suicide(PAS) should be allowed has been widely vocalized and debated throughout the world. Physician Assisted Suicide is an important issue because it concerns the fundamental morals of one 's life. There are a variety of opinions readily discussed about this issue. Most standpoints on this topic have to do with freedom.

The moral concerns of Physician assisted suicide are equally sensitive and provocative; it is high on the debatable platform with other controversial topics such as abortion after three months. Many claimed that a physician assisted suicide is morally acceptable on behalf of a person who is dying and decided to end the agonizing pain and distress willing. Additionally, the doctor’s responsibility to ease the person’s pain and suffering, therefore, validates the aid provided. These debates are based on countless agreements on the person’s independence, hence, identifies the rights of capable people to decide how they are going to die and what time, especially while dealing with a deadly illness. In contrast, others have disputed the fact the physician assisted suicide is immoral and will be in conflict responsibility of the doctor, which is to save lives Also, they say if physician assisted suicide becomes legal , the chances for elder abuse will increased , mistreatment on the disabled and people living in poverty .

Physician assisted suicide and/or Euthanasia is very controversial involving the topic of ethics. In ethics, when determining what is deemed substantially right or wrong, there is tremendous difficulty in finding a true black or white. To better explain, “physician assisted suicide is defined as the deliberate termination of a patient’s life by administering a lethal drug through a direct or indirect help from a physician” (Youngman, 2013). Throughout the text, what will be examined is assisted suicide influenced by the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant. Since almost every ethical issue arises when a matter concerning two remarkably different possibilities conflict with one another, the theory of Immanuel Kant may be able to find a definitive solution to this concerning ethical issue pertaining to euthanasia and/or physician assisted suicide.

In the United States, nine states criminalize assisted suicide through common law. Alabama is among one of those states. Only Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and California have legalized physician- assisted suicide (Emanuel). According to Oxford English Dictionary, Euthanasia is defined as "A gentle and easy death" (Oxford). It would benefit the state of Alabama to enact euthanasia laws because a person should not have to suffer unnecessary pain, Hospice only prolongs impending death, and Medicare expenditures would decrease significantly.

From the perspective of autonomy and beneficence, assisted suicide will give patients the right in choosing to end their suffering and dying with dignity (citation). In support of PAS, some emphasise the principle of consequentialism, although the patient dies, the pain and suffering is reduced, medical cost is minimised which allows the healthcare system to utilise resources effectively and efficiently towards a greater number of people. In addition, a consequentialist would argue the current laws are causing more harm than good as currently it is estimated that 300-650 terminally ill patients commit suicide with 3000 to 6500 attempting to do so in the UK (citation). It is important to note that despite the current laws, some critically unwell patients are making decisions to end their lives, in a way that is neither humane nor painless. The current laws force the unwell to end their lives alone, without any medical supervision and methods of a painless death.

This prolonging of life brings about many ethical dilemmas in the field of medicine. One of the issues is patient autonomy. The practice of euthanasia has been established to put the choice back into the hands of the patient. To better understand euthanasia, there are five different types.

PALLIATIVE CANCER ETHICS AND CHALLENGES Provided this backdrop of palliative care in India, it is important to address the difficulty of imitating Western models of palliative care. In general, palliative cancer care has become a requisite for physicians while formulating a tailored plan of patient care. These developments prompt a review of some of the central ethical issues particular to palliative care. These issues such as relief of pain and suffering, autonomy and consent, and multi-specialist care, are important points of consideration for all physicians caring for patients regardless of the cause of their suffering and whether or not these physicians are specialists in palliative medicine or not. At the same time, the Indian palliative care environment presents numerous challenges to these Western ethical principles of palliative care.

Assisted suicide is a rather controversial issue in contemporary society. When a terminally ill patient formally requests to be euthanized by a board certified physician, an ethical dilemma arises. Can someone ethically end the life of another human being, even if the patient will die in less than six months? Unlike traditional suicide, euthanasia included multiple individuals including the patient, doctor, and witnesses, where each party involved has a set of legal responsibilities. In order to understand this quandary and eventually reach a conclusion, each party involved must have their responsibilities analyzed and the underlying guidelines of moral ethics must be investigated.

Many pro-euthanasia believers will use the autonomy argument and debate the opinion that patients should have the right to choose when and how to they want to die. In an article in the Houston Chronicle, Judge Reinhardt ruled on this topic by stating “a competent, terminally-ill adult, having lived nearly the full measure of his life, has a strong liberty interest in choosing a dignified and humane death… (De La Torre).” However, dignity cannot be measured by the level of pain or the speed in which the individual dies, because it is already a characteristic of a person’s worth as a human being (Middleton). Allowing a patient to live their life to the fullest until the very end is surely a more humane and dignified death then cutting that life short in fear of what it is coming through the practice of euthanasia. While death for these patients can be a sad ending, it does not have to condemn a person to a remaining life of sadness and negativity.

Euthanasia, also known as assisted suicide, is the act of permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured patients. This is never suggested by the caretaker rather than requested by the patient or their family. Few areas such as the Netherlands have already legalized this practice. This debate, as split as a fork in the road, is over whether or not this approach should be legalized worldwide on stances regarding religion, ethics, and self choice.     I see this as being extremely unethical on both religious and social morality levels.

This essay suggest that active euthanasia should be supported. This essay elaborate the statement in three argument. Firstly, according to utilitarianism, active euthanasia can produces greatest net pleasure and happiness. Secondly, some philosopher Mary Anne Warren and Frances Kamm states that the practice of active euthanasia is kind and merciful, which allow people

No one can live forever, and death is inevitable but do we get to determine our own death sentence? Euthanasia is the term used to describe assisted suicide where medical personnel drug a patient to death due to the patients desire to end suffering brought on by terminal illnesses. It is therefore commonly associated with the actions in the healthcare industry, nurses and physicians, in which the patient wants to end the suffering because they’re in a state of pain and an incurable condition. Euthanasia is considered controversial due to the issues regarding medical, ethics, and moral issues. Death with Dignity goes against medicinal practices.

Euthanasia is usually used to refer to active euthanasia, and in this sense, euthanasia is usually considered to be criminal homicide, but voluntary, passive euthanasia is widely non-criminal. Voluntary Euthanasia is conducted with the consent of the patient while Involuntary Euthanasia is conducted against the will of the patient. Beginning with the philosophical aspects of euthanasia we must first understand the importance of the sanctity of life. Human life is sacred because God made humankind in His own image, and that each individual human

In this case, healthcare professionals actively participate in the patient death. According to ethical principles, healthcare professionals should do good and do no harm for patients. Therefore, assisting in her death violates the principle of nonmaleficence. In addition, active euthanasia defines as an intentional act of ending patients lives, whether or not the dying patients request. Four states, Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Montana have approved laws of the practice of physician-assisted suicide.

In a few nations there is a divisive open discussion over the ethical, moral, and legitimate issues of euthanasia. The individuals who are against euthanasia may contend for the holiness of life, while defenders of euthanasia rights accentuate mitigating enduring, substantial respectability, determination toward oneself, and individual autonomy. Jurisdictions where euthanasia or supported suicide is legitimate incorporate the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Estonia, Albania, and the US states of Washington. CLASSIFICATION OF EUTHANASIA Euthanasia may be characterized consistent with if an individual