Euthanasia is a deliberate action taken by a physician or another individual that results in the intentional end of a person’s life. In certain cases, this step is taken to end the ongoing suffering that people experience due to traumatic incidents. It is a procedure that, along with physician-assisted suicide, is illegal in most countries. If a person is convicted of this practice, he or she can go to jail. There are many pros and cons of euthanasia, especially since it is such an emotional and controversial topic.
List of the Advantages of Euthanasia
1. We use euthanasia as a last resort when all other options have been exhausted
When there is no pain involved, the average person or doctor will not support the proactive termination of a life. Even if both actions end a life, euthanasia differs from suicide in that the former uses assistance while suicide does not. This assistance aims to relieve a prolonged death, especially if it is caused by chronic and severe pain.
2. The right to die should be a personal decision, not one imposed by the government
We have the freedom to choose from various paths in life that can lead us in different directions. The majority of these actions very little, if any, government intervention. When we speak of euthanasia, the story changes dramatically. There are some spiritual viewpoints on suicide that may influence this debate. But someone with a terminal illness might just want to finish their life on their own terms.
Incorporating Death with Dignity laws can help to make it a reality. Instead of going to a review panel, the decision is always in the hands of the patient. The patient either takes the fatal prescription or begins the necessary IV instead of the doctor, ensuring that it remains in a person’s control.
3. Only a small number of terminally ill patients take advantage of euthanasia laws
If you look at data from Europe, the United States, or other countries that allow some type of euthanasia, the results are fairly consistent. This program’s participants represent 0.3 percent or less of the general population. When it comes to people with terminal illnesses who decide that this is the way they want to end their lives, the adoption rate is usually less than 3%. Critics often raise concerns that more people will choose suicide due to its accessibility. But the evidence does not support that idea.
4. There is more control over life’s final decisions
By having more control over life’s final decisions, the emotional and physical toll of illness can be minimized for everyone involved. It is not just about the person who is in pain. The rest of the family will find peace knowing that there is a plan to put an end to this situation.
5. With euthanasia, patients can avoid the problem of caregiver guilt
One of the most important problems associated with a terminal diagnosis is the patient’s guilt and shame toward their caregivers. They tend to feel like a burden to the people they care for. This leads to relationship problems because it is normal to push people away to avoid pain.
Legalizing euthanasia might not be a popular choice in some circles. But it can help to organize the transitory time that everybody goes through in a situation like this.
List of the Disadvantages of Euthanasia
1. A terminal diagnosis is rarely predicted
The Mayo Clinic discovered that only one of every five patients received a correct number during a 2005 analysis of terminal disease diagnoses. 17 percent of people in this situation live for much longer than the doctor initially recommends. That is why, even though legal definitions allow for its use, euthanasia is met with such resistance.
What else is possible if one in every five people overcomes their diagnosis? Expecting a medical miracle in every situation may be unrealistic. But we must be honest and open about these statistics.
2. When looking at euthanasia, there could be consent issues
When a physician is willing to provide this alternative for their patient, legalizing euthanasia works. There are times when a doctor cannot prescribe lethal medication for ethical reasons, referring back to the concept of “no harm.” Some medical professionals believe that the quality of death should be prioritized alongside the quality of life. Even so, critics believe that trying to recommend this option is a possibility in the future.
3. Euthanasia treatment does not always deliver the desired result
Starting in 1998, Oregon tracked the results of patients who received lethal prescriptions as part of the Death with Dignity Act. According to the data, seven people regained consciousness after taking the medication. And one person survived the study period while still fighting their disease. Another 1,179 people out of a total of 1,857 qualified patients had a positive experience with the euthanasia program.
4. People will be able to choose death for reasons other than illness if they have access to euthanasia
When people who qualify for euthanasia were surveyed, more than 90% said it was their “loss of control” that driving their decision, not the actual diagnosis of a terminal illness. Patients were asked to choose any explanation that applied in the survey. A limitation in their usual practices was cited by 90% of those polled as a key influence in their decision.
Just one out of every four people considering euthanasia claimed that suffering was a factor in their decision. Isn’t that going against the law’s original purpose if people invoke the Death with Dignity Act to make physicians assist them in terminating their lives when they are dissatisfied with their “new normal”?
5. Some doctors may intentionally give out false information
We know that one in every five people will survive a terminal diagnosis if they live long enough. The University of Chicago also discovered that doctors often refuse to even estimate when a patient asks how long they have to live. Two out of every five doctors said they would give an optimistic period that was up to three times longer than they thought possible. Even if death with dignity laws are in place, suppose we can’t be honest about patient information.
Isn’t it likely that some people could qualify for a program even though the reality of their health was very different? So, we have to consider the pros and cons of euthanasia very carefully.
Conclusion on the Pros and Cons of Euthanasia
The idea that people should control their pain affects every family and person in some way. Nobody wants to see someone suffer unnecessarily. Even if the result is likely to be death, it might be better to find physical peace than to live for a few more months on this planet.
Every individual’s situation is unique. Trying to enforce moral equivalence on someone because those who are doing it have no idea what it is like to live in that situation is unacceptable. We should give people a choice to end their lives if that is what they want.
The pros and cons of euthanasia may be equal. If a person is mentally fit and prefers to proceed in this manner rather than hoping for a miracle, this option can help them make it a reality.
