Essay On Bioethical Issue: Euthanasia

Introduction:

The world’s view of death is varying. Some tribes would just leave their fellowmen be buried alive in a tomb and some men would kill other clans to seek more power. And to some extent the concept of mercy killing is existent to the human society nowadays. Mercy killing or euthanasia has been battling ethical issues over the years. It is a method by which an attending physician would relieve the patient from any pain by passively or actively killing the patient (BBC, 2014). Many religious people are against this method of pain relieving for terminal case patients.

Euthanasia and Religious Stands about it and the Medical Field:

According to many catholic bishops are against euthanasia. They have argued that life is full of blessing and instead of killing someone out of mercy why not give him/her the best efforts before he/she dies. Palliative care as it is collectively known in medicine is the method by which doctors and nurses shall provide medication and emotional support to terminally ill patients. Dying well is the highest possible comfort the bishops of New Zealand have proposed against euthanasia (Nathaniel Center, 2011). It is true but not for all cases. Patients that are declared brain dead are usually taken out of life support and that is a form of passive euthanasia. Doctors are suggesting that it would be very costly to keep a person alive but actually brain dead. Moreover, there are also some cancer patients asking for euthanasia, but the discretion still goes to the families. There are also some pros and cons to euthanasia some includes the right to die and government responsibilities over patients with these cases (ProCon Org, 2013).
One theory on ethics that concerns euthanasia is that Life is sacred and it should not be taken by others except by God. However, my point on that is the patient’s pain should be respected. Passive euthanasia must only be considered if and only if the patient is considered brain dead, by which he or she could not communicate. Why passive? It is because you are not killing the person but you are just letting the time and God to what will happen next. This should solve anyone’s misconception of euthanasia. Euthanasia should not be considered “killing” if the act was not to give medications to alleviate death but only to give way for timely death.
All in all euthanasia shall be given with prior agreements. However, to protect the beauty of life anyone should do what it takes to give palliative care to any terminally ill patients. Moreover, if the financial is the problem the family must agree on what to do. Passive euthanasia is much advisable if that is the case.

References:

ProCon Org, 2013. “ Pros and Cons of Euthanasia.” Retrieved from:[ http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000126]
Nathaniel Center, 2011. “ The Dangers of Euthanasia: A statement from the New Zealand Catholic Bishops.” Retrieved from:[ http://www.nathaniel.org.nz/the-dangers-of-euthanasia-a-statement-from-the-new-zealand-catholic-bishops]
BBC, 2014. “ Euthanasia: Ethics Guide.” Retrieved from:[ http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/activepassive_1.shtml]