Sociology Research: Child Euthanasia, Parental Rights, and Ethics

This sociology essay delves into the contentious topic of child euthanasia, specifically focusing on the role of parental consent. The research explores the ethical and legal complexities surrounding physician-assisted suicide for minors, questioning the extent to which parents should be granted the right to decide their child's end-of-life care. The essay examines the sociological importance of the issue, considering social justice, self-determination, and the involvement of family structures. It reviews existing research, including the legal status of euthanasia in various countries and the motivations behind such decisions. The study aims to argue against assigning the rights of killing a minor patient with the assistance of a medical expert, measuring the responses of medical and legal experts as well as parents. The research employs semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders to gather qualitative data and provide insights into this sensitive and critical issue.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Table of Contents
Research Problem............................................................................................................................2
Previous Research Review..............................................................................................................2
Research Design..............................................................................................................................3
Reference List..................................................................................................................................4

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Research Problem:
The topic of this research paper is Euthanasia or the practice of physician-assisted suicide
amongst the children and the role of parental consent in the same. In other words, this research
paper aims to explore that since children are not allowed to choose death for themselves, how far
can child Euthanasia be legalized, and the extent to which the parents can be granted the right to
decide death for their children. The research topic is of sociological importance as Euthanasia is
an issue involving social justice, especially in a case where the patient (a minor) is being denied
the right of self-determination to choose death, and an integral structure of the society, his family
or parents are involved in determining his right to live for him.
The purpose of the research study is to determine if child Euthanasia should be
legalized, and is it legal and an ethical alternative to transfer the child’s right to life, to his
parents. At times, children suffer from terminally ill diseases with no hope for survival, or from
severe form of Autism, from where they have no chance of recovery (Carter, 2016). In such a
situation, the research intends to comprehend if the parents should keep on spending billions of
Euros on these children, who will never be able to contribute anything to the society, or should
they take a firmly pragmatic step of ending their life.
Previous Research Review:
In the year of 2012, Netherland became the first country to legalize Euthanasia, although
it clearly stated that the patient must be suffering from excruciating pain, his disease must be a
fatal one, and the decision to die, must be made in ‘full consciousness’ by the person
(Chambaere et al., 2015). Thus, two conditions have always been deemed to be crucially
important in case of a patient allowed Euthanasia- he must be allowed death if he is unable to

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bear the pain, and if he agrees to embrace death. Hence, external intervention of anyone,
including the family members, paying for his medical expenses, should be dismissed while
granting Euthanasia to a patient. Euthanasia, is widely regarded as an act of homicide, and as a
medical practice, is still deemed to be illegal in countries like France, US, Germany and India,
and others. According to research studies, conducted across the globe, of the total number of
deaths in Oregon, 0.39% was physically assisted, while 0.32% of the deaths in Washington was
assisted by the physician (Bousquet et al., 2016). Research reports also claimed that while pain
was the most important reason behind half of the deaths reported by Euthanasia, loss of
autonomy and dignity are often associated with chief motivators of Euthanasia (Emanuel et al.,
2016).
Based on the review of literary articles and sociological research papers published before,
this present research study will be conducted with the aim of arguing against assigning the rights
of killing a minor patient with the assistance of a medical expert.
Research Design:
The research aims to measure the responses of the medical experts and legal experts as
well as parents, as integral parts of the society, on the parental right to kill a minor patient. The
research study will employ the use of semi-structured interview with the legal and medical
experts and the parents of children aged between 1 to 14 years, suffering from terminally ill
diseases to collect primary, qualitative data related to parental right to perform Euthanasia
(Brinkmann, 2014).

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Reference List:
Bousquet, A., Guirimand, F., Aubry, R., & Leboul, D. (2016). Palliative care unit caregivers
facing a euthanasia request: A qualitative pilot study. MEDECINE PALLIATIVE, 15(1),
4-14.
Brinkmann, S. (2014). Interview. In Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology (pp. 1008-1010).
Springer New York.
Carter, B. S. (2016). Why palliative care for children is preferable to euthanasia.
Chambaere, K., Vander Stichele, R., Mortier, F., Cohen, J., & Deliens, L. (2015). Recent trends
in euthanasia and other end-of-life practices in Belgium. New England Journal of
Medicine, 372(12), 1179-1181.
Emanuel, E. J., Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Urwin, J. W., & Cohen, J. (2016). Attitudes and
practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the United States, Canada, and
Europe. Jama, 316(1), 79-90.