Is it ethically right to choose euthanasia? The debate over suffering and dignity of life for terminally ill patients

Euthanasia is the act of ending the life of a patient suffering from a terminal illness, and the debate surrounding it touches on two important issues: dignity of life and suffering relief. Those who oppose the legalization of euthanasia argue that it’s important to explore other ways to reduce suffering while respecting medical advances and the patient’s wishes.

 

Imagine this situation: a member of your family is terminally ill. He or she is in tremendous pain, and since there is no cure, it’s pointless to keep them alive. What would you do as a family member? Would you let him continue to suffer? Or do you relieve his pain and suffering by allowing him to end his life?
Euthanasia is the ending of a life suffering from a terminal illness. The word euthanasia comes from the Greek word ευθανασία, meaning a beautiful death. Euthanasia is the act of directly or indirectly causing a painless death to a living being whose treatment is deemed futile due to a terminal illness. It is also known as euthanasia. Euthanasia can be divided into voluntary euthanasia and involuntary euthanasia, depending on whether the patient consents or not. Voluntary euthanasia is performed when the patient consents to his or her death, while involuntary euthanasia is performed without the patient’s consent. Euthanasia can also be categorized into active euthanasia and passive euthanasia, depending on the means used to bring about death. Active euthanasia involves killing a patient by administering a lethal injection of a substance or poison, and is the most controversial option in the euthanasia debate. Passive euthanasia involves killing a patient by withdrawing a common treatment or process necessary to prolong life.
The legalization of euthanasia has been an ongoing debate for decades. Many people are in favor of legalizing euthanasia and many are against. I am against the legalization of euthanasia. While euthanasia provides a way to alleviate extreme suffering, it is a disregard for human life. Many patients are sacrificed in the name of alleviating their suffering and ending their lives because they are in pain and a burden to their families. Life is very precious. No human life should be taken intentionally. Euthanasia, like abortion, treats life as a commodity. Human life is not chosen, but given as an opportunity. Death is not something you bring on yourself, but something that comes naturally.
Some doctors argue that there is no need to intentionally take a life with euthanasia because many treatments have been developed to relieve suffering. On the other hand, doctors who authorize euthanasia do so on the grounds that there is nothing better than euthanasia to relieve pain. If pain is the only reason to end a life, then euthanasia shouldn’t be allowed only for terminal illnesses. Many other diseases are also painful and unbearable. Pain or suffering cannot be objectively measured, and one person’s suffering cannot be compared to another. What one person can tolerate may be unbearable for another. Legalizing euthanasia would allow doctors to misuse their right to take a life. Also, even if there are effective treatments, lives could be lost because of an ignorant doctor’s decision. To avoid this situation, euthanasia shouldn’t be legalized in the first place.
Voluntary euthanasia is not always the patient’s choice. The patient is emotionally and psychologically weakened and under a lot of stress or pressure. The family, exhausted by the financial burden of medical treatment, or the patient himself, may choose euthanasia or suicide. However, no one actually wants to die voluntarily. As an example of this, patients often change their minds over time; what they want is comfort from their loved ones. They want to know that their loved ones want them to get well and are willing to make any financial expenditure. At this point, the patient will have fewer and fewer thoughts of dying. In other words, many people who choose euthanasia do so because they misunderstand the wishes of those around them or because they lack family support. In this case, it’s a good idea to help them find meaning and purpose in their remaining life.
Terminating a patient’s life is not the only humane solution to a tragic situation. A doctor’s job is not to kill people, but to “kill” the pain. Suggesting euthanasia shows a lack of trust in the progress of medicine. Giving patients the right to die is giving doctors the right to kill. Removing life support or giving up on the patient would be another option for doctors. However, in the modern world, the means to reduce suffering will become more and more numerous and accessible due to technological innovation and advancement. Treatment methods have also become more refined and are constantly being developed thanks to advances in science and technology. For example, if a patient suffered a brain hemorrhage 20 years ago, there was no way to cure them once they were in critical condition, but nowadays, thanks to advances in medical devices and surgical methods, even critically ill patients often recover. Similarly, diseases that are currently incurable may have a cure in the near future. Even when a patient is in an irreversible state, there are always ways to reduce suffering. Death does not relieve suffering, but proper treatment does.
Currently, there are a few countries that have legalized voluntary euthanasia, including the United States, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. If more countries legalize euthanasia in the future, many problems will arise. For example, doctors will not do their best to treat patients. This is because euthanasia is a faster and less expensive solution. Many innocent lives will be sacrificed by irresponsible doctors. Also, if euthanasia is legalized, it will be carried out without the patient’s consent, as soon as the patient’s family allows it. This would be involuntary euthanasia, which is unfair to the patient, and it would be killing a person by force. This behavior shows disrespect and disregard for the preciousness of life. There are many unfortunate people in the world who are struggling to live, and patients are some of them. They have the right to continue living, and they want to keep their lives. So let’s not legalize euthanasia and give suffering patients a chance to continue living.