What Is Euthanasia?
One of the biggest problems in discussing the rights and wrongs of euthanasia is that people use the word to mean different things. For some of us, euthanasia conjures up pictures of granny snuggling under the duvet as her doctor mixes the fatal potion at her bedside. Others might associate it with the decision to turn off the life support machine attached to an unconscious road accident victim. Yet for others euthanasia will bring to mind something more personal - we may be reminded of a friend or relative who died in what seemed like unnecessary pain. Could 'euthanasia' have been an option there? A lot depends on what we mean by the word 'euthanasia'. Because unless we know what we're talking about, we won't be able to decide whether it is right or wrong. And the best place to start is to find out what euthanasia is not!
What Euthanasia Is Not
In the examples that follow we can see that the doctor has no intention of killing his patient - that is why they do not count as 'euthanasia'.
Stopping treatment
If a person is near death, a doctor may decide to stop life prolonging treatment. This may be because the drugs and treatment are no longer giving effect or because their side effects are causing the patient a lot of distress for very little gain. This is not euthanasia. Doctors should be able to recognise when a person is dying and should do all they can to help the patient die in peace. Consider the following, story: "When I was a young doctor, I remember looking after a man whose lungs were seriously damaged by a particular disease for which there was no cure. He came into hospital in the last stages of respiratory failure. I wanted to rush in with machines and drugs to save him. But the wise physician for whom I was working said 'Enough is enough'. Then I realised, my duty was plain - it was to relieve the patient's distress and see that he died in dignity and comfort."
Switching off a respirator
After severe injury, many patients are put on a respirator - equipment to help them breathe whilst doctors assess the degree of injury. Where death has occurred, the life support machine is turned off. This is not euthanasia since the doctor has not intentionally ended their patient's life.
