(PDF) Euthanasia - An Understanding

Understanding
Law

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
PART A.......................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................3
PART B Reflection.....................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
Bibliography....................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Euthanasia comes from Greek word which means Good death which is a practice of
ending life intentionally for getting relieved from pain and sufferings. However, there are
numerous of laws are designed in each and every country. As per the viewpoint of British House
of Lords Select Committee on Medical ethics described euthanasia as “ a thoughtful intervention
undertaken by having a motive of ending a life for relieving themselves from intractable
sufferings” (Emanuel and et. al., 2016). Therefore, this project is going to highlight the legality
of euthanasia in two distinct countries one is UK and another is Luxembourg. United Kingdom is
a sovereign nation lying off North Western coast of European mainland. It includes various
things such as; island of Great Britain, north eastern part of Island of Ireland as well as number
of small-small islands. On the other hand, Luxembourg is seen as small landlocked nation in
Western Europe which is totally bordered by Belgium from west to north, Germany from east
and south is covered by France. In fact, culture of these people is highly intertwined with their
neighbours by making it necessarily mixture of French and German cultures (Hoffman, 2012).
Thus, main objective of this project is to outline the major influence of euthanasia by explaining
the major roles of societal members, attitudes and values.
MAIN BODY
PART A
Europe is popular for its healthy relationship to suicide because apart from Cyprus almost
each and every nation are allowing for suicide today. However, it’s really rubbish to amend any
legal laws which punishes the act of ending life. Thus, most of the countries are allowing suicide
and euthanasia under few conditions. For example; it become legal in Belgium, Luxembourg and
Netherlands but when it is clearly implies that physician is participating an active role in carrying
out the request of patient for dying. These practices are legal only when there is a situation of
terminal and excessive painful illness (Mason R. Assisted dying bill overwhelmingly rejected by
MPs, 2015). On 16th March 2009, euthanasia and guiding suicide were became legalized in
Luxembourg which is recently regulated by Comissão Nacional de Controle e Avaliação known
as National Commission for Control and Assessment. Mainly, legislation includes competent
adults, individuals by having incurable and terminal health issues which cause physical or
psychological constant as well as uncontrollable suffering with no probabilities of relief.
1

Therefore, in this case patient might request for process of his/her death or end of life provisions
that is a written document and obligatorily registered as well as assessed by National
Commission for Control and Assessment. Along with this, document also permit the patient for
recording situation in which he/she would like to deposit for assisting death that is performed by
physician who is applicant trusts. As per the last report of Commission’s almost 34 cases of
assisted death have been get registered in between 2009 to 2014. From all of these around 21
were associated with females whose are predominantly aged between 60 and 79. Amongst them
almost 27 had suffering from cancer and 22 were gone through the process which occurred in
Hospitals (Portail Santé. 2015. [Fin de vie].
UK doesn’t officially permitted assisted death but in current years official discussions are
taking place on these subject matters is very much frequent. As per the current investigation, it
has been assessed that most of the population that includes maximum number of medical
profession are fully in favour of assisted suicide (Bill Wirtz, 2017 [The Right to Die in
Luxembourg]. Although, parliamentary members of British have refused the proposals for this
regulations in last few years. From which, last one that is “Assisted Dying Bill” which is
designed by Lord Falconer was refused by Lower House in September 2015. Thus, Active
euthanasia in UK is seen as major crime of murder and as per the Section 2 of Suicide Act 1961
assisting for death is punishable for up to 14 years in prison. Furthermore, in February 2010 there
was a introduction of new guidelines by Crown Prosecution service on assisted suicide after the
case hearing of Debbie Purdy (Londres. Care Not Killing. 2015 [Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying
Bill].
Main influence
Luxembourg law related with euthanasia and assisted suicide provides an opportunity to
the patients when they are going through unbearable sufferings. Therefore, in these type of
circumstances patients are having a freedom for selecting how their lives will be end as we;; as
doctors whose get agrees for complying with the request for euthanasia or assisted suicide get
prevented from prosecution. However, requests for euthanasia or assisted suicide are filed by any
individual in Luxembourg who is facing an incurable medical situation raised due to major
accident or illness (Ethical problems of euthanasia, 2014). It means cause of incurable medical
situation is totally irrelevant. Secondly, euthanasia gets influenced by the person who is having a
wish of end his/her life arrangements for ignoring to face the confronting circumstances in
2

upcoming time period. In February 2008 Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies followed the
legislation on Right to Die with Dignity as this legal law covers both euthanasia and physician
assisted suicides.
A religious person in United Kingdom believes that life is provided by God and only God
is having a right to end it. But few people in UK favouring of Euthanasia and argue that civilized
society must have right and permit to die in dignity as well as allow some other persons for
helping them in doing so if they are not able to manage it by themselves. This means that number
of people is coming at community which were wanted to end their life. In fact, society plays a
very crucial role in euthanasia because various individuals are having numerous opinions and
thought process towards ending of life (van der Heide, 2013). For example; Euthanasia is illegal
in Britain because this means that killing another person brutally is consider as murder and
manslaughter even if an individual is asks other person for doing so. But now-a-days, it has been
assessed that around 80% people have changed their attitudes and states that they wanted to
modified the laws for giving right to die to terminally ill patients and those who are going
through uncontrollable pain by taking help with doctors (The Crown Prosecution Service, 2014
[Policy for prosecutors in respect of cases of encouraging or assisting suicide].
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been summarized that United Kingdom and Luxembourg
are different from each in euthanasia legal laws because this act is illegal in UK whereas legal in
Luxembourg. This shows that both the nation are having different perspectives towards this
framework such as; people of Luxembourg thought that person who is suffering from unbearable
pain must give an opportunity to end their life by acquiring suggestion from assisted physician.
On the other hand, religious people of UK states that God is responsible for giving birth and God
is only responsibility to end the life. Thus, if a person is suicide and ending their life then it will
consider as murder or manslaughter as well as illegal activity as per legitimate laws.
PART B Reflection
Throughout the report, I have learnt number of things such as how to accumulate
necessary information from distinct sources which helps me in enhancing my investigation skills.
This will help me in further designing of my reports as well as minimize the future risk because I
already aware about the technique of acquiring relevant facts or figures. Although, I have face
3

some difficulties but still I get succeeded in gathering corrective data with the help of well
structure resources such as; several books, journals, examples and cases which were already
taken place and many more. Apart from this, whole procedure improves by planning skills
because I have planned all the things in better manner by considering necessary facts or figures.
Furthermore, I also get engaged in writing whole assignment through which my writing skills get
enhanced which will be advantageous for me in upcoming report of law because in future
numerous of complex legal reports is going to assigned to me. Thus, I can easily frame all the
sentences in corrective meaning which is easily understand by others. In fact, while playing role
as a legal executive I can easily understand complex issues and able to resolve major conflicts or
cases. Basically, legal executer needs to aware about the way of identifying relevant facts or
figures for clearing all the doubts in better manner and make the client understand about the
correct meaning of related Acts. Hence, this project improves my several skills that will be really
beneficial for me while performing by future legal role. Instead of these things, I know that I
have to design things in suitable manner for making an appropriate plan which will help in
minimizing probabilities of mistakes while handling legal cases. Therefore, my planning skills
are supporting me in attaining set targets by understanding in depth concept of various legal
terms and conditions.
4

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Emanuel, E.J and et. al., 2016. Attitudes and practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted
suicide in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Jama, 316(1), pp.79-90.
van der Heide, A., 2013. Assisted suicide and euthanasia. In Handbook of clinical
neurology (Vol. 118, pp. 181-189). Elsevier.
Hoffman, S., 2012. Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: A Comparison of EU and US
Law. Syracuse L. Rev., 63, p.383.
Online
Mason R. Assisted dying bill overwhelmingly rejected by MPs, 2015. [Online].Available
through< https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/sep/11/mps-begin-debate-assisted-
dying-bill >.
Ethical problems of euthanasia, 2014. [Online]. Available
through<http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/problems.shtml>.
Bibliography
Bill Wirtz, 2017 [The Right to Die in Luxembourg] https://medium.com/freedom-today/the-
right-to-die-in-luxembourg-7a9d509923fd.
Londres. Care Not Killing. 2015 [Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill]
The Crown Prosecution Service, 2014 [Policy for prosecutors in respect of cases of encouraging
or assisting suicide].
Portail Santé. 2015. [Fin de vie].
5

6

7