Euthanasia: A medical practice of providing east death to patients with chronic diseases without recovery

Running head: LEGALIZATION OF EUTHANASIA IN AMERICA
LEGALIZATION OF EUTHANASIA IN AMERICA
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

LEGALIZATION OF EUTHANASIA IN AMERICA1
Introduction
Euthanasia is the practice of providing east death to patients with chronic diseases with
no hopes of recovery. It is done only with the consent of the patient or the close family members
however, is a largely illegal medical practice in most parts of the world. The topic of the report is
the legalization of euthanasia in the United States, where like many other countries euthanasia is
illegal in most states. In some of the states of the US assisted suicide is legal only in certain
exceptional cases. In certain cases terminally ill patients who would have to suffer long before
their inevitable death due to their conditions do deserve lesser painful deaths. However, there are
many ethical questions that exist in the society and particularly among medical practitioners in
regards to euthanasia.
The thesis statement that will be used for the study is that legalization of euthanasia is
very important as some patients lose hope for survival and live the rest of their lives in great pain
and anguish. Hence, despite the opposing humanitarian ground it sometimes becomes a
humanitarian act to relieve someone of their irrecoverable situations.
Factual overview
Certain medical conditions leave patients terminally ill. However, at the same time it
takes much longer for their actual death to occur. Leaving them to suffer from conditions that are
worse than death in the process. On the one hand there remains no hope for their recovery from
the medical conditions and on the other hand they are to suffer from great pain because of their
conditions that will cause their slow deaths. It is exactly in these cases that euthanasia becomes a
bigger debate. Some medical practitioners argue that at times the right to choose one’s own death
is in line with the concepts of human rights.

LEGALIZATION OF EUTHANASIA IN AMERICA2
According to Chaloner and Karen (pp. 45) laws need to be changed in relation to
euthanasia considering some of the health conditions that have been witnessed over the years.
They further opine that the perspective of the people in regards to euthanasia is controlled more
by emotional values than factual evidence gathered from cases. Some articles have opined that a
person has a right to death that is as much important as the right to life. In many countries
terminally ill patients are left at home where they suffer greatly till they eventually die a slow
death (Sydney Morning Herald). In the United States the cases such as Karen Ann Quinlan case
of 1976 have aggravated the debate regarding euthanasia. Quinlan was declared to be in a
vegetative state after she drank alcohol with tranquilizers. Her parents fought a long and hard
case in the court of New Jersey to remove her from ventilation. The parents won the case and
ventilation was removed. However, she continued to live till 1885 staying brain dead till she
died.
Opposing view explanation
According to Hyde (pp. 55) euthanasia from an ideological or philosophical perspective
is unacceptable. The argument provided by the author is that medical euthanasia could become
an excuse for medical institutions to unethically deal with terminally ill patients. He opines it is a
form of murder hidden behind medical factors. Various religious leaders have also opposed
euthanasia claiming that it is a sin and a crime to end one’s life before the occurrence of natural
death. There are also ongoing debates in relation to how far ethical standards can be maintained
if also euthanasia is legalized. Hence, a persistent social debate remains in relation to the
legalization in the World. The United States is also affected greatly by this debate (Hudson).
Popular opinions among the public varies greatly in relation to the acceptability of
euthanasia as a valid and legal medical purpose. It has been seen that communities that have