Independent Study AS406: Examining the Benefits of Euthanasia

This essay presents a comprehensive argument on the benefits of euthanasia, addressing various facets such as alleviating patient suffering, upholding dignity, humane considerations, family-centered care, financial implications for healthcare, and providing relief for individuals with incurable diseases. It delves into the ethical debates surrounding euthanasia, acknowledging counterarguments related to the sanctity of life, potential for societal impacts, and the doctor's oath. The essay references the evolving legal landscape in Canada, particularly Quebec's Bill 52, which permits euthanasia under specific conditions. Despite the advantages outlined, the essay recognizes the significant controversies and cultural differences that persist regarding the acceptance and legalization of euthanasia worldwide. Desklib provides access to similar essays and resources for students.

Running head: EUTHANASIA
EUTHANASIA
Name of the Student:
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EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia is defined as the process of mercy killing or intentionally culminating
lifespan of a patient to release the soreness and suffering of the patient. Different countries
have different euthanasia laws, which is characterized as intentional euthanasia, unintentional
euthanasia and non-voluntary euthanasia. Euthanasia concept is accepted by few set of people
and completely dejected by few set of people based on individual concept and mind-set. The
major problem faced by this concept is the ethical acceptance of euthanasia. Some patient
itself requests euthanasia sometimes.
The main issue of euthanasia has been in the hub of extremely intense arguments from
past numerous centuries and is bounded by the ethical, spiritual land practical thoughts.
Euthanasia raised a debate regarding the idea of the meaning and value of a person
independent existence. Hence, this essay will argue on the benefits associated with euthanasia
stating the advantages on the approach of euthanasia.
The concept of euthanasia has taken a different turn in Canada; Quebec approved Bill
52, which permits euthanasia. It was effective after 2015, as the government as well as the
doctor’s required time to frame the policies and arrangement in place (Vanessa, 2019). The
bill permitted Quebecers to undergo mercy death if the patient had any incurable critical
illness or at their end stage of life with no hope of betterment or they are constantly suffering
from physical or mental pain, which cannot be cured any further. Doctors should make sure
that the patient is meeting up to the requirements and the patient is aware of the situation with
his consent.
The Supreme Court of Canada is accepting the concept of mercy killing and will
allow doctor-aided demise and euthanasia permissible across Canada but the debate is still
on. The history of this debate in Canada started long back when a Canadian citizen named

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Donald low pleaded the doctor for mercy death and also urged the government to include this
concept for critically ill patient citing the reference from other countries who have established
this concept. The social and political acceptance of euthanasia is still lacking behind because
there are many doctors who are not in the favour of euthanasia and are not ready to accept
this.
Argument 1: Euthanasia is beneficial is that it ends the patient’s suffering:
i. For the people suffering from any terminal diseases, which cannot be furthered, cured
or can be treated like last stage cancer, euthanasia is the best way to relief the person
from continuous pain (Sanchez, 2019).
ii. People who are struggling with an incurable disease of their ailments would happily
die rather than living in pain and suffering (Nicholas, 2018).
iii. Thus, euthanasia puts an end to a patients suffering by ending the constant
psychological and physical pain of the patient (Fragkou & Galanis, 2018).
iv. Counter: However, euthanasia goes in contradiction of the ethics as the criticizers of
euthanasia claims that no doctor or person has the ethical right to end the life of
another person by the act of euthanasia in spite of the good intents (Campbell, 2016).
Argument 2: Another benefit of euthanasia is that it gives a dignity to the person dying and
ensures patient centred care:
i. Followers of euthanasia, state that it is the wish and right of the patient to decide if he
or she wants to live or die in the way they desire if their life is not worth living
(Kumar & Singh, 2018).
ii. With the utmost dignity and any further pain, the patient can choose euthanasia
(Forcen & Jaramillo, 2018).

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iii. With euthanasia, an individual’s dignity and personality is maintained and hence, he
or she can die in peace and be ‘themselves’ without any pain or suffering
(Gonta&Tarabeih, 2018).
iv. Counter: However, suicide, which is a form of euthanasia, has a psychosomatic
result on societies. If the society accept euthanasia as a usual practice, it will influence
people to take up euthanasia to end their life without any major trauma (Johnson,
2017).
Argument 3: Euthanasia is considered as a humane act of mercy killing
i. The advocates of euthanasia claims that it is one of the most appropriate humane act
to release the patient from suffering instead of using any inhumane method like using
guns (Death, 2018).
ii. In the democratic world, each person has the right to live independently, die
independently with his or her own terms, and condition (Sinnott, 2018).
iii. An individual, as well as his or her family, is alleviated from extreme forms of pain,
suffering and trauma hence, resulting in humane treatment (Ballenger, 2018).
iv. Counter: However, this concept of mercy killing is against the oath of the doctors
who are responsible to carry out euthanasia (Donkin, 2017).
Argument 4: Euthanasia ensures adherence to family centred practice of care:
i. The family who are not financially stable to afford so much of money on the patient
who is incurable (Kavehrad, 2018).
ii. Euthanasia provides those families with an alternative solution to free the patient from
that mental burden (Srivastava, 2018).
iii. Hospitals charge huge amount of money for treating a patient who is critically ill even
after the patient has no scope of betterment (Havill et al., 2018).

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iv. Counter: However, in some cases doctors provides the patient with a false opinion,
which effects the mental condition of the patient and he or she opts for euthanasia.
Hence, in such cases patient loses his or her life based on a false report (Goligher et
al., 2017).
Argument 5: Euthanasia ensures prevention of financial losses and constraints in the
concerned healthcare organizations:
i. Euthanasia frees up the space, funds and the equipment of the hospital (Mani,
Simha&Gursahani, 2018).
ii. Patient suffering from irreversible coma requires huge amount of fund and space with
all calibrated equipment available with a very less chance of survival (German, 2019).
iii. Hence, euthanasia benefits such patients from not utilizing these resources for years
and peacefully dying (Best, 2019).
iv. Counter: However, these ideas of saving resources could increase the corruption in
the hospitals and prompt the authorities to give euthanasia for saving money by
mentally burdening the patient (Zenz, Tryba & Zenz, 2015).
Argument 6: Euthanasia provides relief to patients suffering from incurable disease and
chronic health symptoms:
i. The major benefit of euthanasia is that its releases the burdened life of paralysed and
brain-dead people who are constantly suffering and are considered as almost half dead
with no response to any stimuli (Kontaxaki et al., 2018).
ii. Hence, it helps the patient with bad quality of life to die according to their wish and
command (Quill &Battin, 2018).
iii. The patient can itself decide the time and the day when he or she wants euthanasia
nobody can force him or her (Wilson, 2018).

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iv. Counter: However, in such medical condition the patient cannot make any rational
decision and tend to die with no hope of betterment and give up hopes very easily,
disturbing their ability to think (Porter & Warburton, 2018).
In this essay, it was clearly demonstrated that euthanasia has many benefits to make it
legal and authorized all over the world but also has equal number of cons, which leads to
debate between cultures, doctors and people of different society.

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References:
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