Euthanasia

Euthanasia is a more complex word for "pulling the plug" or "put down" or even "put to sleep." This applies, obviously, for people and animals. It translates directly to "good death," but how do you feel about it? It is used from anything such as "putting down a dangerous animal" to "putting an elderly person out of their misery." Should it be allowed, allowed with conditions, or banned from society.

 

i remember this issue, it was talked about in the Terry Schivo case. i dont' think it should be banned. there usually has to be quite a lot of consent from family or the patient for it to actually happen. as for animals, i don't know how it works. but if someone is going to die anyway and the natural death would be much worse then this assisted suicide might be the best route though some people might not be competent to decide these things for themselves so i'm not completely on allowing it either.

 

It should definitely never be planned. As person should have the right to end their life if continuing it would just cause unfair suffering which is terminal.

At the moment, euthanasia is illegal in the UK and patients have to travel to special "death" clinics in Switzerland to have the procedure carried out. This usually involves the doctor setting up all of the equipment as the patient is often completely or almost completely paralysed. They then commit the act themselves as it is against the Hippocratic Oath for a doctor to actively cause harm to a patient.

However, if any relatives or spouses of the patients return to the UK after it has happened they can face persecution and prison for what is effectively considered murder. Completely unfair when all they are trying to do is what is best for their loved one and what their loved one really wants.

But, there do need to be conditions. Firstly, the person needs to be terminally ill. A lack of patience cannot be a good enough excuse for euthanasia. Also, it has to be the decision of the patient, not their relatives. They should be subjected to a psychiatric examination to ensure that they are mentally well enough to make the decision. Then, and only then, would they be allowed to take control of their own death.

 

I don't think that it should be banned. Because like if a person wants that to be done thenit is ok. I don't like that they use it on animals like when they don't have enough space in a shelter because they is cruel. But if the animal is old or very sick then i think it is ok. Like a couple of my dogs have been put to sleep or whatever you want to call it but they were very sick.

 

I feel that it is the most humane decision in the case of a person/animal suffering, but apparently it is a sin in God's eyes. I feel like that's a bunch of crap due to the fact that you are saving the person/animal from excruciating pain and torment. This technique has been around for many years now and has helped so many people that I think it is just a common treatment for a dying patient.

 

This is another one of those things (like stem cell research and abortion) that it's really hard to debate about. One could argue that you are saving the person/animal from pain, but you could also argue against it. I wold accept it in extreme situations.

 

Well euthanasia is really assisted suicide, you would be destroying one of God's creations, thats why it is viewed as a sin. Plus if God chose for that person to suffer so much there has to be a reason for it, a challenge if you like. I don't believe that myself, but that is how some would view it.



I personally think that there is nothing wrong with Euthanasia as long as the patient is 100% certain and aware of what they are doing, they are terminally ill and the quality of their life is reduced to ****. I don't think it is right for a family to decide to end the life of the person, it has to come from the person themselves. I don't think it should be illegal, but I do think there needs to be very strict conditions attached to it. Otherwise it could end up being abused.

 

I do know that there are people who suffer a tremendous lot as their lives are coming closer to an end; especially some cancer patients. They are in awful amounts of pain. For these people who seriously just want the pain over and say they wish to die and give permission etc, I think it should be a legal option. Otherwise their suffering could go on for months longer and they just will be miserable all the way through it. Some people who know there is no way they will survive something and want out; I think that's their right to opt out early, if they are in the sane mind frame to do so and not just being over emotional for a spurt moment. Also, I think that if people leave clear instructions that they wish to die should they become a vegetable that cannot speak etc or the brainwaves register them as not there and the body continues, yeah, I think a living will is enough to go by.

However, euthanasia has been abused in a few countries where people decide that if someone is handicapped or elderly etc that they do not want to pay anymore for those people so they terminate their lives prematurely. Also, some people who do not have living wills, families may wish someone to have the plug pulled and yet there may be a chance of recovery. I think it's important that if euthanasia is used, that people do speak to family members etc to know what they would want should something detrimental happen and have living wills, even if they write it on a piece of paper somewhere. Also, it should not be used on people who have not given permission whether they are in pain or not and should not be 'encouraged' by doctors to any degree. If a patient wants to be euthanized, I think that patient can come up with the concept totally on his/her own.

As for animals, many shelters actually do not euthanize unless they have to because it is cruel for the animal to exist with a condition that is rather untreatable. Some very hostile dogs due to people breeding them for fights etc may require it because they cannot be trained to calm down and their lives are pretty harsh. Some animals also get things like feline leukemia and there's no cure once they have it so it's best to end the animal's suffering. I think that euthanizing animals because of a population problem is wrong and that more can be done to try to get them homes or funding instead but for medical reasons, yes, I think sometimes it just has to be done so that the animal is not entirely miserable. There are again times people may put an animal to sleep because of a reason like they don't want to give the animal medicine or something but many vets actually refuse to adhere to that and will instead just take the animal to a shelter. It really depends.

 

Enforced euthanasia is definitely wrong (as seen in the novel and film "Soylent Green") where there is government controlled euthanasia usually due to overpopulation (the human equivalent of culling in animals).

As has been said it should definitely not be illegal but should only exist with strict conditions and procedures.

 

That's true.

Why is it illegal? That seems a little strange. I don't think the doctor would be hurting the patient by putting them out of their misery. On the contrary, I think the doctor would be hurting the person more by keeping them alive and suffering.

But it's not murder, it's simply a way to help a loved one stop suffering. You're right, that is pretty unfair.

I agree completely. The person does need to be terminally ill. Either that, or something along those lines (like my great-grandfather had a stroke, but ended up not doing well and was never going to recover. The only thing keeping him alive was the medication designed to keep him more alert and feeding/breathing tubes). And of course it should be the decision of the patient whether they want to do that or not. It also would be a wise decision to make sure the patient is mentally stable and able to make the right decision. And not just the right decision, but for the right reason as well. (i.e. because they're really suffering vs. not wanting to, but doing so because they think it would make things easier for the rest of the family).

So, no. It should not be illegal. It shouldn't be used lightly or on a whim, but it shouldn't be banned either.

 

Although I don't personally like the idea of euthanasia (putting someone to sleep), I think that it can be accepted, with restrictions. Like, the person wanting euthanasia must be an adult, conscious, and mentally healthy (I believe the Netherlands follow these regulations).​

 

Euthanasia is a last resort for someone who wishes to no longer suffer, have his/her family suffer from treating them or something along those lines.

 

I do and don't. If I was suffering I would want the option to be euthanized. But with problems like overpopulation of animals in the West, no. It's stupid. You are taking the life of an innocent animal, and then they just put them in baskets on top of each other, I mean, at least treat the body with respect. But that's the human race unfortunately, we take something we wanted, we made on our own and then destroy it.
And even with aggressive animals, let them go into the wild, they can live there. Wolves would be aggressive towards humans, if you were a wild dog and someone gives you food and then tries taking it away or starts grabbing your muzzle, I would bite them also, unless it was someone I trusted, they don't really give the animals any time, and with kids, is it really that hard to find a family with no kids, or when a child comes over to put away the food or put the dog in the kitchen?
Some of it is pathetic and over-abuse the use of Euthanasia and some of it isn't abused and is used when someone is really suffering and the last days of their life won't be walking it will just be lying around and slowly dying.​

 

I think it should be allowed with conditions.
I'm an animal lover, but when an animal is suffering so bad I can't stand to see it.
That's when I think it should be allowed.
But if you have like an animal that attacks whatever it sees, you should just put it in the pound or something.

 

I think that it's appropriate when there's almost no chance of the person surviving and going on to living a somewhat normal life. If they're just going to remain a vegetable or eventually die, then I think it's okay.

 

I agree with you there EvilMan.
Some people are denied the right to die at there own will because the law mightn't think it's prudent so they revert to suicide in there houses and when a family member assists in the suicide they are charged for murder.that isn't right.

 

It's very complicated when it comes to animals, seeing as there are infinitely many different cases under infinitely different circumstances. While putting down a dog that is rabid and running through the streets should be fine, there are other cases where it is definitely not okay. However, in the case of humans, they have the right to make their own choice as to whether are not the plug is pulled on them, so it should be fairly obvious most of the time.