Euthanasia

Euthanasia

The term Euthanasia originated from the Greek word for "good death." It is the act or practice of ending the life of a person either by lethal injection or the suspension of medical treatment. Because of this, many view euthanasia as simply bringing relief by alleviating pain and suffering. The word has also been applied to situations when a decision is made to refrain from exercising "heroic" measures in an end-of-life situation.

Euthanasia

What whould you do?

Suffering

Quality of Life

Could this be an option?

Pain

Mrs. Boyes, an elderly patient, was dying from rheumatiod arthritis. She was in considerable pain, and pleaded with her doctor to end her life. He injected her with potassium chloride. He was charged with attempted murder for this!

Voluntary active euthanasia is the request of the patient. Non-voluntary active euthanasia, which is performed on those that do not have the mental ability to do so. Involuntary euthanasia is against the wishes of a competent patient.

In Oregon they adopted the "Death with Dignity Act"

• the patient’s situation must be regarded as incurable with no hope of recovery;also death must be imminent;• the patient must be suffering from unbearable and severe unrelievable pain;• the act of killing must be undertaken with the intention of alleviating the patient’spain;• the act should be done only if the patient himself or herself makes an explicitrequest;• euthanasia should be carried out by a physician, although in special situationsanother person’s assistance may be permitted;• euthanasia must be carried out using an ethically acceptable method.