This document discusses the debate around euthanasia and a patient's right to die. It notes that while death is inevitable, terminally ill patients who are suffering want control over when and how they die. While some believe in preserving all life, others think patients should have autonomy over medical decisions. The document examines arguments on both sides, including concerns about who can decide for incompetent patients, and concludes that each person deserves to leave this world peacefully on their own terms given their unique situation and beliefs.

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Melissa Tobias
Position Paper-Euthanasia
Death is an inevitable situation, one that each person will face when it is “their time to
go.” Often this unknown leads many people to question how they want to go and how they want
to feel when it’s their time. Many times we fear the unknown and are often scared about meeting
our end. Unfortunately there is no way of telling when death comes for each of us and therefore
many are left to hope they’ve done enough and said enough to leave earth with a light
conscience. Now, on the opposite end, there are people that fully know that their end is coming.
That sometime within the next few weeks to months, that their body is going to shut down and
they’re going to meet death and whatever they may believe is after death. For those individuals,
it is often harder to know what is coming because they are often in a lot of pain and face many
complications. Is it fair to let them suffer and continue to grow weaker when they are requesting
to be released of their pain and put to death?
This is a question that has been debated for quite sometime now. Euthanasia is growing
throughout the United States and even the world. The ability for one to be assisted in helping to
die or simply given medicine to take themselves, has raised a lot of questions concerning what is
legally right and wrong. There are states that are beginning to legalize assisted euthanasia and
many states that may not agree, but refuse to prosecute those people that are helping to grant a
sick patient the last wish of dying peacefully. As technology continues to improve, patient’s
bodies are living longer, even if their minds are long gone. These sick patients often don’t want
to get to the point where they completely bedridden and delirious but rather have control over
when it is their time to go. These patients have chosen their entire life to live and have decided
that it is now time to die, in a very dignified and individualized way.

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Regardless of how competent these patients may be, it is still often hard for both the
family and the physician to hear that one would like to give up and end their own life. The
technological advances have proven that what used to be a death sentence is now often
something that can be sustained and maintained for many years longer. Many individuals that are
against euthanasia believe in preserving life, even at the end. “Conservatives refer to the
Hippocratic Oath’s prohibition against taking a life, hear the call for physician assisted death as a
cry for better care and support systems, and point to the government’s obligation to protect
human life. (#2)” Even though this society is growing and changing, many people refuse to
believe that helping one die is justifiable.
Therefore, due to an increase in suicide and illegal assisted deaths by the critically ill
patients, there have been more focus promoting end of life care and the possibilities of making it
easier to die more peacefully. There are many beliefs that “the availability of excellent palliative
care will prevent people from choosing the option of assisted dying. (#1)” Many terminally ill
patients often fear death because they fear the pain and suffering that occurs while preparing for
death. These palliative care facilities could help lighten that anxiety and provide a much calmer
and peaceful way to die. “Palliative care would provide relief from distressing symptoms and
pain, and support to the patient as well as the caregiver. Palliative care is an active,
compassionate and creative care for the dying. (#4)”
These alternatives to caring for them besides taking their own life often makes these
patients feel safer and more at peace about their illness. This peace, usually leads to better
outlook on life regardless of how much time they may have left and helps them enjoy their time
left on this earth. Even though euthanasia is termed an acceptable means for our animals that are
often at the end stages of life, human euthanasia doesn’t seem to hold the same kind of certainty.

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“Attitudes to human euthanasia and suicide were predictably correlated, perhaps suggesting an
overarching attitude towards control over human death. (#2)” Many religious individuals believe
that the only person capable of deciding our death is the God above and “pretending to play
God” is completely unjustified when it comes to human life. One should respect the path that
God has laid out for him or her and should enjoy every last second of it, regardless of the state at
which he or she are in.
However, the other side of the debate believes that if we can euthanize animals because
they are suffering, why can’t we assist patients in achieving the exact same thing, which is peace.
“Liberals, who view medical decisions as expressions of personal autonomy, empathize with the
suffering of those who are dying, and entreat the government to recognize an expansive right to
die. (#3)” The medical world is constantly changing, and often times whether people are ready
for it or not, we must learn to change with it and accept new advancements. There are many
advancements, however, the medical field hasn’t been able to prevent cancer or cure all cancer.
People are going to have incurable diseases and are going to suffer long, drawn out deaths.
Assisted euthanasia is meant to help these patients end their lives on their terms and decide what
is best for each individual.
Patients already have a “right to refuse medical treatment, including medical treatment
that sustains or prolongs life. (#4)” Therefore, the government has already begun to open the
door to euthanasia, by allowing competent individuals to make decisions regarding their personal
beliefs. However, this law doesn’t touch on what happens if the person is not competent enough
to make their own decisions. This is where there has been a lot of controversy over who gets to
decide what is best for a patient that is unable to make the decisions by themselves. “State
statutes legalizing physician assisted death carefully restrict access to the terminally ill,

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competent adult who chooses whether or not to self-administer a lethal dose of prescribed drugs.
(#3)” Those individuals that are deemed incompetent or unable to respond to questions due to
their condition, are not allowed to die peacefully, but instead are forced to remain in pain and
continued suffering because they can’t make that decision for themselves.
“Euthanasia encompasses various dimensions, from active (introducing something to
cause death) to passive (withholding treatment or supportive measures); voluntary (consent) to
involuntary (consent from guardian) and physician assisted. (#4)” Since there are often so many
dimensions of euthanasia it is hard to pinpoint which should be allowed versus what should be
illegal. Often times the bigger picture is ignored and the less important aspects are viewed more
closely. It is important to remember that someone is suffering and that it is highly unlikely that
euthanasia was something that wasn’t thoroughly thought through and understood before being
requested. Meeting death is often something that most people try to avoid their entire lives, but
when forced to face it, or know that it will be soon that one must face it, then it should be on the
terms of the individual instead of the government.
Dr. Jeff Susman, Editor-in-chief, of The Journal of Family Practice, put it in realistic
terms when he said “The lesson I take from these experiences is the importance of talking to
patients about end-of-life decisions on an ongoing basis so we can help then to live well and die
well. (#5)” I think that is the most important aspect to remember when assessing your own
beliefs about euthanasia. Not only do people want to live well but they also want to die well and
they want to die with the same kind of dignity that people remember about them. Entering into
death and leaving the world is very overwhelming and should be dealt with compassion and
understanding, because each person wants to live or die a certain way. This is a long decision
process and isn’t taken lightly by anyone involved.

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I agree with the decision that everyone should have a right to choose if they want to live
or die. If they are facing an incurable illness and see a long life of unimaginable pain and
suffering and they would like to end their life, than I believe they have the right to do so.
“Euthanasia can be considered as a way to upheld the ‘Right to life’ by honouring ‘Right to die’
with dignity. (#4)” Each person is given life and are given the opportunity to life it to the best of
their abilities. However, some people don’t take full advantage of those opportunities and often
fall into a life of sin and actions that often damage their mind and body. There are also people
that have taken full advantage of their time, and have enjoyed their life. Those people, as much
as they may have fulfilled their lives with people and things that they love, may not want to die a
horrible, painful death. These people deserve options, and deserve to leave this earth as
peacefully as they entered it, and on their terms.
Unfortunately no one can decide when someone has had enough treatment or medicine,
and where to draw the line between what is right and wrong. Everyone is different and everyone
has a different amount of tolerance and acceptance for the things that they face. However, that
does not mean that because someone is choosing death or life, means they should be looked
down upon. This medical society is an ever changing environment, full of many challenges and
ethical issues, but the bottom line remains the same, which is to put the suffering and ill as top
priority. The wishes of the terminally ill should be considered and understood, because what may
be the belief of one may not be the belief of another, but who is to say which belief is correct.