This document discusses euthanasia and debates around its ethicality. It begins by defining euthanasia as the act of ending a life to relieve suffering, and outlines different types. It then examines arguments for and against euthanasia. Arguments against include that it violates medical ethics and could be abused, while arguments for center on patient autonomy and the right to a dignified death. The document concludes that the debate around euthanasia's ethics will continue as opinions vary.

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Qi Xun Lim
Mr Prinsloo
Secondary Technology
12 October 2012
Euthanasia
Death, is not a new thing to us, this is the
cycle of life, everyone, every living thing will
definitely go through this stage in their life. But,
people have been debating the ethicality of
euthanasia for the past few decades. People often
ask these questions: Is it right to commit suicide? Is
it ethical to help someone to commit suicide? Is it right to put others to death at their own
request? These questions are important to be asked because they help to define our society and
culture.
Euthanasia, this word kept popping up in any ethical issues discussed in the world.
However, what is euthanasia exactly? Originated from the Greek terms “eu” (happy or good) and
“thanos” (death), euthanasia means happy death or mercy killing literally. According to the
American Medical Association’s Council of Ethical and Judicial Affairs, euthanasia is “the act of
bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless
way for reasons of mercy.” There are several types of euthanasia generally. Voluntary
euthanasia which is death performed by another with the request of the person being killed;
involuntary euthanasia which can be defined as death performed by another without the consent

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of the person being killed. Active Euthanasia which is taking actions that lead to death, for
instance, fatal injection; and, passive euthanasia in which a physician allows a patient to die by
removing artificial life support systems.
However, keep in mind that euthanasia is not the same as physician assisted death.
Euthanasia is the intentional killing of a person, voluntary or not; physician assisted death is a
practice in which the physician supplies the patients with the means to end his life, but the
physician does not carry out the action.
Euthanasia is controversial in medical ethics and medical law. Debates about this topic
have been going on for the past few decades. In the debate, arguments against the acceptability
and legal feasibility of euthanasia can be found. One argument is about euthanasia is the same as
killing intentionally, and that killing people is wrong morally. And this should apply to medical
practitioners, physicians, as stated in the Hippocratic Oath, which explicitly states that “no
deadly medicine will be given to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel”, which can be
interpreted as any form of physician assisted death and euthanasia is not to be practiced by any
medical doctors. Euthanasia, if abused, can be used as an excuse to murder people. Doctors or
any physicians will not be sentenced to any crime if they claimed that they did not murder
someone but simply euthanize someone.
Another argument that is against euthanasia
is the potential for disagreement in how and
when to carry out euthanasia? In what state
of health should the patient be in order to
agree to be euthanized? If a patient is

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mentally or physically incapable to agree, can the patient be freed from his or her suffering
through the use of euthanasia or any form of it? There are still a lot of question to be asked about
legalizing euthanasia globally.
Although there are countless arguments against euthanasia, there are some arguments that
are in favor for the use of euthanasia especially in the medical field. Their argument mainly
based on the one’s “Right to Die”. The “right to die” is the ethical right for someone to commit
suicide or to undergo voluntary euthanasia or physician assisted death especially one who is
suffering extremely great mental or physical pain. Normally, patients that are in coma or have
suffered serious injuries will opt for
physician assisted death or active
euthanasia. Euthanasia and physician
assisted death is illegal in most countries
throughout the world, with a few
exception such as Netherlands where
physician will not be prosecuted for terminating a patient’s life, provided that the physicians
followed the established protocol and acts based on the patient’s request to be euthanized. People
should have the right to choose when and how they should die, especially when they are in an
unbearable pain. It can be assumed that, most human beings prefer and easy way to die, not to
endure all those pain or suffering, and also to die with dignity. Unfortunately, this does not
normally happen to most people, especially the elders, and the patients suffering from chronic
disease. For them, dying involves a long and miserable process, from mental stress to
degeneration of organs or the spread of cancer cells. Euthanasia provides them this gate-way to
be relieved and freed from all these pains and sufferings. In the medical law and medical ethic,

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patient’s autonomy is everything. Patients have the right to decide whether they want to be
terminated or not. If no treatment is available or there is no improvement but the situation is
getting worse, a patient can choose whether they want to end the treatment or not, even after
knowing that by removing any treatments or any artificial life support system may lead to the
death of that patients. However, not every physician will agree to carry out this act because some
may still think that this is not ethical.
As a conclusion, the debate about the ethicality of euthanasia will still continue because it
is impossible to come to a conclusion because people have different opinions on whether
terminating a person’s life, whether voluntary or involuntary morally right or wrong. There are
many aspects that need to be considered in deciding whether euthanasia is ethical or is it a crime
that has the same level of offense as murder.

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