Report On Euthanasia
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Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Title of Assignment :
Euthanasia
Subject Name:
Computer
Subject Code:
M.L.T. Comp.
Prepared For:
Miss Hana
Prepared By:
Jagdish Sandhu
Date of Submission:
22nd October 2009
[email protected]
Page 1
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Contents
Definition of Euthanasia
Page 3
Classifications of Euthanasia
Page 3-4
History of Euthanasia
Page 4-5
Arguments for/against Euthanasia
Page 5-6
Protocol of Euthanasia
Page 7
Advantages/ Disadvantages of Euthanasia
Page 8
Conclusion
Page 8
Definition of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 2
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
The word "euthanasia" comes straight out of the Greek -- "eu", goodly or well + "thanatos", death = the good death -- and for 18th-century writers in England that was what euthanasia meant, a "good" death, a welcome way to depart quietly and well from life. The most commonly understood meaning of euthanasia today is more than the old dictionary definition of dying well -- a good and easy death. It refers, for example, to the situation when a doctor induces the death with a lethal injection, of a patient who is suffering unrelievable and has persistently requested the doctor to do so. Classification of Euthanasia ○ Euthanasia by consent: Euthanasia may be conducted with consent (voluntary euthanasia) or without consent (involuntary euthanasia). Involuntary euthanasia is conducted where an individual makes a decision for another person incapable of doing so. ○ Euthanasia by means: Euthanasia may be conducted passively, non-actively, and actively. Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments (such as antibiotics, chemotherapy in cancer, or surgery) or the distribution of a medication (such as morphine) to relieve pain, knowing that it may also result in death (principle of double effect). Passive euthanasia is the most accepted form, and it is a common practice in most hospitals. Non-active euthanasia entails the withdrawing of life support and is more controversial. Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces to kill and is the most controversial means. An individual may use a euthanasia machine to perform euthanasia on himself / herself. ○ Assisted suicide: Assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia where the patient actively takes the last step in their death. The term "assisted suicide" is contrasted with "active euthanasia" when the difference between providing the means and actively administering lethal medicine is considered important. For example, Swiss law on assisted suicide allows assisted suicide, while all forms of active euthanasia (like lethal injection) remain prohibited. ○ Animal Euthanasia Animal euthanasia is an attempt to kill an animal without pain or distress in cases such as inoperable disease and injury. Techniques to accomplish this include the delivery of fatal [email protected]
Page 3
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
doses of intravenous or gaseous anesthetic (more infrequently, intracardiac or intraperitoneal injections), cervical dislocation in specific circumstances, use of firearms, and when necessary, methods such as exsanguination and pithing are used in association with other techniques.
History of Euthanasia Timeline
Contents
About 400 B.C.
The Hippocratic Oath which was said by the father of medicine, the greek physician Hippocrates: “I will not give any deadly medicine to anyone if asked nor suggest any counsel”.
14th – 19th Century
For over 700 years, the anglo-american law has punished and disapproved of both suicide and assisted suicide
1828
Earliest American Statute to outlaw assisted suicide
20th Century
The States assisted suicide bans have been reexamined and reaffirmed
1920
The book “Permitting the Destruction of Life not Worthy of Life” was published which helped
involuntary
euthanasia by Nazi
Germany 1939
The Nazi euthanasia programme expanded to include older disabled children and older people.
1995
Australia’s Northern Territory approved a euthanasia bill which went into effect in 1996 but was overturned in 1997 by the Australian Parliament
1998
[email protected]
US state of Oregon legalized assisted suicide
Page 4
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
1999
A doctor was sentenced for 10-25 years prison term for giving his patient a lethal injection
2000
Netherlands legalized euthanasia
2002
Belgium legalized euthanasia
2008
US state of Washington legalized assisted suicide
Arguments for/ against Euthanasia 1.Reasons for Euthanasia ○ Choice Proponents of euthanasia emphasize that choice is a fundamental principle for liberal democracies and free market systems. ○ Quality of life The pain and suffering a person feels during a disease, even with pain relievers, can be incomprehensible to a person who has not gone through it. Even without considering the physical pain, it is often difficult for patients to overcome the emotional pain of losing their independence. ○ Economic costs and human resources Today in many countries there is a shortage of hospital space. The energy of doctors and hospital beds could be used for people whose lives could be saved instead of continuing the life of those who want to die which increases the general quality of care and shortens hospital waiting lists. It is a burden to keep people alive past the point they can contribute to society, especially if the resources used could be spent on a curable ailment.
2. Reasons against Euthanasia ○ Professional Role Critics argue that voluntary euthanasia could unduly compromise the professional roles of health care employees, especially doctors. They point out that European [email protected]
Page 5
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
physicians of previous centuries traditionally swore some variation of the Hippocratic Oath, which in its ancient form excluded euthanasia: "To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.." However, since the 1970s, this oath has largely fallen out of use. ○ Moral/ Theleogical Some people, including many Christians, consider euthanasia of some or all types to be morally unacceptable. This view usually treats euthanasia to be a type of murder and voluntary euthanasia as a type of suicide, the morality of which is the subject of active debate. ○ Necessity If there is some reason to believe the cause of a patient's illness or suffering is or will soon be curable, the correct action is sometimes considered to attempt to bring about a cure or engage in palliative care.
○ Feasibility of implementation Euthanasia can only be considered "voluntary" if a patient is mentally competent to make the decision, i.e., has a rational understanding of options and consequences. Competence can be difficult to determine or even define. ○ Consent under Pressure Given the economic grounds for euthanasia, critics of euthanasia are concerned that patients may experience psychological pressure to consent to euthanasia rather than be a financial burden on their families. Even where health costs are mostly covered by public money, as in various European countries, VE critics are concerned that hospital personnel would have an economic incentive to advise or pressure people toward euthanasia consent.
Protocol of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 6
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Euthanasia can be accomplished either through an oral, intravenous, or intramuscular administration of drugs, or by oxygen deprivation (anoxia), as in some euthanasia machines. In individuals who are incapable of swallowing lethal doses of medication, an intravenous route is preferred. The following is a Dutch protocol for parenteral (intravenous) administration to obtain euthanasia: Intravenous administration is the most reliable and rapid way to accomplish euthanasia. A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental (Nesdonal) in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). Then a triple intravenous dose of a non-depolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) or 20 mg vecuronium bromide (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, in order to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) are there substantial indications that the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dosage of 40 mg. With regards to nonvoluntary euthanasia, the cases where the person could consent but was not asked are often viewed differently from those where the person could not consent. Some people raise issues regarding stereotypes of disability that can lead to non-disabled or less disabled people overestimating the person's suffering, or assuming it to be unchangeable when it could be changed. For example, many disability rights advocates responded to Tracy Latimer's murder by pointing out that her parents had refused a hip surgery that could have greatly reduced or eliminated the physical pain Tracy experienced. Also, they point out that a severely disabled person need not be in emotional pain at their situation, and claim that the emotional pain, if present, is due to societal prejudice rather than the disability, analogous to a person of a particular ethnicity wanting to die because they have internalized negative stereotypes about their ethnic background. Another example of this is Keith McCormick, a New Zealander Paralympian who was "mercy-killed" by his caregiver, and Matthew Sutton. With regards to voluntary euthanasia, many people argue that 'equal access' should apply to access to suicide as well, so therefore disabled people who cannot kill themselves should have access to voluntary euthanasia.
Advantages/ Disadvantages of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 7
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Advantages of euthanasia, or right-to die policies, is in allowing the person to maintain a dignity in death after a lifetime of dignity. It may provide them with a sense of empowerment in the face of being powerless against the progression of a chronic, perhaps fatal, disease. It can also relieve some of the guilt and shame they may be feeling as they require increasing amounts of time and resources from relatives, especially if estranged over years. A central theme includes a persons quality of life. Disadvantages may involve the "slippery slope" many ethicists feel may occur, thinking that voluntary euthanasia can devalue human life. Quality of life is not as significant a theme as is maintenance of a life. Many religious groups feel this may eventually lead to such a widespread value system in society that elderly individuals may be pressured against their will to utilize this option by those with a vested interest ( beneficiaries of life insurance policies, directors of health maintenance organizations, etc.).
Conclusion The issue on euthanasia has been debated for years where some countries have legalize it now but other countries are still against the idea of it. Therefore, in my opinion, I believe that euthanasia should be legalized to a certain extent throughout the world to avoid any living being to die from pain and suffering.
[email protected]
Page 8
Title of Assignment :
Euthanasia
Subject Name:
Computer
Subject Code:
M.L.T. Comp.
Prepared For:
Miss Hana
Prepared By:
Jagdish Sandhu
Date of Submission:
22nd October 2009
[email protected]
Page 1
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Contents
Definition of Euthanasia
Page 3
Classifications of Euthanasia
Page 3-4
History of Euthanasia
Page 4-5
Arguments for/against Euthanasia
Page 5-6
Protocol of Euthanasia
Page 7
Advantages/ Disadvantages of Euthanasia
Page 8
Conclusion
Page 8
Definition of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 2
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
The word "euthanasia" comes straight out of the Greek -- "eu", goodly or well + "thanatos", death = the good death -- and for 18th-century writers in England that was what euthanasia meant, a "good" death, a welcome way to depart quietly and well from life. The most commonly understood meaning of euthanasia today is more than the old dictionary definition of dying well -- a good and easy death. It refers, for example, to the situation when a doctor induces the death with a lethal injection, of a patient who is suffering unrelievable and has persistently requested the doctor to do so. Classification of Euthanasia ○ Euthanasia by consent: Euthanasia may be conducted with consent (voluntary euthanasia) or without consent (involuntary euthanasia). Involuntary euthanasia is conducted where an individual makes a decision for another person incapable of doing so. ○ Euthanasia by means: Euthanasia may be conducted passively, non-actively, and actively. Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments (such as antibiotics, chemotherapy in cancer, or surgery) or the distribution of a medication (such as morphine) to relieve pain, knowing that it may also result in death (principle of double effect). Passive euthanasia is the most accepted form, and it is a common practice in most hospitals. Non-active euthanasia entails the withdrawing of life support and is more controversial. Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal substances or forces to kill and is the most controversial means. An individual may use a euthanasia machine to perform euthanasia on himself / herself. ○ Assisted suicide: Assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia where the patient actively takes the last step in their death. The term "assisted suicide" is contrasted with "active euthanasia" when the difference between providing the means and actively administering lethal medicine is considered important. For example, Swiss law on assisted suicide allows assisted suicide, while all forms of active euthanasia (like lethal injection) remain prohibited. ○ Animal Euthanasia Animal euthanasia is an attempt to kill an animal without pain or distress in cases such as inoperable disease and injury. Techniques to accomplish this include the delivery of fatal [email protected]
Page 3
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
doses of intravenous or gaseous anesthetic (more infrequently, intracardiac or intraperitoneal injections), cervical dislocation in specific circumstances, use of firearms, and when necessary, methods such as exsanguination and pithing are used in association with other techniques.
History of Euthanasia Timeline
Contents
About 400 B.C.
The Hippocratic Oath which was said by the father of medicine, the greek physician Hippocrates: “I will not give any deadly medicine to anyone if asked nor suggest any counsel”.
14th – 19th Century
For over 700 years, the anglo-american law has punished and disapproved of both suicide and assisted suicide
1828
Earliest American Statute to outlaw assisted suicide
20th Century
The States assisted suicide bans have been reexamined and reaffirmed
1920
The book “Permitting the Destruction of Life not Worthy of Life” was published which helped
involuntary
euthanasia by Nazi
Germany 1939
The Nazi euthanasia programme expanded to include older disabled children and older people.
1995
Australia’s Northern Territory approved a euthanasia bill which went into effect in 1996 but was overturned in 1997 by the Australian Parliament
1998
[email protected]
US state of Oregon legalized assisted suicide
Page 4
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
1999
A doctor was sentenced for 10-25 years prison term for giving his patient a lethal injection
2000
Netherlands legalized euthanasia
2002
Belgium legalized euthanasia
2008
US state of Washington legalized assisted suicide
Arguments for/ against Euthanasia 1.Reasons for Euthanasia ○ Choice Proponents of euthanasia emphasize that choice is a fundamental principle for liberal democracies and free market systems. ○ Quality of life The pain and suffering a person feels during a disease, even with pain relievers, can be incomprehensible to a person who has not gone through it. Even without considering the physical pain, it is often difficult for patients to overcome the emotional pain of losing their independence. ○ Economic costs and human resources Today in many countries there is a shortage of hospital space. The energy of doctors and hospital beds could be used for people whose lives could be saved instead of continuing the life of those who want to die which increases the general quality of care and shortens hospital waiting lists. It is a burden to keep people alive past the point they can contribute to society, especially if the resources used could be spent on a curable ailment.
2. Reasons against Euthanasia ○ Professional Role Critics argue that voluntary euthanasia could unduly compromise the professional roles of health care employees, especially doctors. They point out that European [email protected]
Page 5
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
physicians of previous centuries traditionally swore some variation of the Hippocratic Oath, which in its ancient form excluded euthanasia: "To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.." However, since the 1970s, this oath has largely fallen out of use. ○ Moral/ Theleogical Some people, including many Christians, consider euthanasia of some or all types to be morally unacceptable. This view usually treats euthanasia to be a type of murder and voluntary euthanasia as a type of suicide, the morality of which is the subject of active debate. ○ Necessity If there is some reason to believe the cause of a patient's illness or suffering is or will soon be curable, the correct action is sometimes considered to attempt to bring about a cure or engage in palliative care.
○ Feasibility of implementation Euthanasia can only be considered "voluntary" if a patient is mentally competent to make the decision, i.e., has a rational understanding of options and consequences. Competence can be difficult to determine or even define. ○ Consent under Pressure Given the economic grounds for euthanasia, critics of euthanasia are concerned that patients may experience psychological pressure to consent to euthanasia rather than be a financial burden on their families. Even where health costs are mostly covered by public money, as in various European countries, VE critics are concerned that hospital personnel would have an economic incentive to advise or pressure people toward euthanasia consent.
Protocol of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 6
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Euthanasia can be accomplished either through an oral, intravenous, or intramuscular administration of drugs, or by oxygen deprivation (anoxia), as in some euthanasia machines. In individuals who are incapable of swallowing lethal doses of medication, an intravenous route is preferred. The following is a Dutch protocol for parenteral (intravenous) administration to obtain euthanasia: Intravenous administration is the most reliable and rapid way to accomplish euthanasia. A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental (Nesdonal) in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). Then a triple intravenous dose of a non-depolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) or 20 mg vecuronium bromide (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, in order to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) are there substantial indications that the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dosage of 40 mg. With regards to nonvoluntary euthanasia, the cases where the person could consent but was not asked are often viewed differently from those where the person could not consent. Some people raise issues regarding stereotypes of disability that can lead to non-disabled or less disabled people overestimating the person's suffering, or assuming it to be unchangeable when it could be changed. For example, many disability rights advocates responded to Tracy Latimer's murder by pointing out that her parents had refused a hip surgery that could have greatly reduced or eliminated the physical pain Tracy experienced. Also, they point out that a severely disabled person need not be in emotional pain at their situation, and claim that the emotional pain, if present, is due to societal prejudice rather than the disability, analogous to a person of a particular ethnicity wanting to die because they have internalized negative stereotypes about their ethnic background. Another example of this is Keith McCormick, a New Zealander Paralympian who was "mercy-killed" by his caregiver, and Matthew Sutton. With regards to voluntary euthanasia, many people argue that 'equal access' should apply to access to suicide as well, so therefore disabled people who cannot kill themselves should have access to voluntary euthanasia.
Advantages/ Disadvantages of Euthanasia
[email protected]
Page 7
Computer M.L.T. - Comp
Advantages of euthanasia, or right-to die policies, is in allowing the person to maintain a dignity in death after a lifetime of dignity. It may provide them with a sense of empowerment in the face of being powerless against the progression of a chronic, perhaps fatal, disease. It can also relieve some of the guilt and shame they may be feeling as they require increasing amounts of time and resources from relatives, especially if estranged over years. A central theme includes a persons quality of life. Disadvantages may involve the "slippery slope" many ethicists feel may occur, thinking that voluntary euthanasia can devalue human life. Quality of life is not as significant a theme as is maintenance of a life. Many religious groups feel this may eventually lead to such a widespread value system in society that elderly individuals may be pressured against their will to utilize this option by those with a vested interest ( beneficiaries of life insurance policies, directors of health maintenance organizations, etc.).
Conclusion The issue on euthanasia has been debated for years where some countries have legalize it now but other countries are still against the idea of it. Therefore, in my opinion, I believe that euthanasia should be legalized to a certain extent throughout the world to avoid any living being to die from pain and suffering.
[email protected]
Page 8
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