Economically euthanasia for patients who suffer from terminal cancer with no hope for remission, such as lung cancer, would greatly reduce financial burden to their families, and those on Medicare would free up much needed funds for other patients. People have the right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, so if they are not entitled to death if they choose to die than they are not really free to live life as they choose.
Part II: Anti-thesis
The oath of a medical professional is to heal people in the Oath of Hippocrates states: “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel” (Hippocrates, n.d.). “Mercy killing” or euthanasia is not helping people or healing them. Also in the Imperial College School of Medicine the Declaration of a New Doctor also states in paragraph four “I shall never intentionally do or administer anything to the overall harm of my patients” (Dunning, Fritzs, Morgan, Rollin, Russell, Sheehan, & et al, 2001). The legalization of euthanasia would put all medical professionals in a position to break their oaths.
In research put together by Dick Sobsey and Gregor Wolbring they discuss the lack of educated alternatives to people with disabilities or illness. They argue that “offering people death with dignity while denying access to a life with dignity is no choice” (1995, p. 3). Euthanasia is generalized towards people with disabilities or illnesses. In the bills that have been proposed in the past have been focused on making assisted suicide available to everyone, not only the disabled or ill. Sobsey and Wolbring bring this up to point out that “physicians attempt to heal their patients without disabilities, not kill them” (1995, p.5). If euthanasia can not be offered to every person than it can not be legalized, because it would be considered unjust and biased. The assumption is made that people with disabilities or illnesses are not capable to live full lives, which with proper medication and treatments they may be able to live just as long as an average human being. There is a fear that the infirmed and disabled would be coerced into choosing a quick painless death for the sake of making more room for other patients and funds available.
Part III: Synthesis
Personal experience can make anyone feel deep sorrow for an infirmed patient, especially if it is a grandparent or parent. Watching an elderly man who was once strong and worked at carpentry for a hobby slowly waste away and lose basic motor skills such as walking, being able to make it to the bathroom on time, and eventually not even be able to sit up in a chair without feeling sharp pains through his back, and the only thing he really wants is a gun. But if a loved one were to bring him a gun they may be put in jail. “The passage from life to death should be serene and dignified, not an agonizing ordeal” (Kastenbaum, n.d.). It is acceptable for a doctor to withdraw medications and treatment and watch as a patient dies in agony from pain or starvation. But to administer a lethal injection so the patient may merely fall asleep is morally and ethically wrong for the occupation. “The Greek meaning of euthanasia is a ‘painless happy death,’ by prolonging pain we would be torturing our patients (Guo, 2006)” (Templin, 2010).
The best way to sum things up is from the concluding paragraph for my Composition II augmentative paper. “’Proponents believe that adequate safeguards through proper legislation and due process can limit euthanasia to the situations in which it is most appropriate’” (Kastenbaum, n.d.). There should be limitations and regulations to avoid murder, but if legalized with proper support and specifications, euthanasia could be very positive and effective. I do not think people who are suffering from depression should be able to be euthanatized. I do not think that it should be available to the mentally handicap either. But for those who have lived a full life I agree with the author, Alicia Black, when she states: ‘Euthanasia is not murder. Murder is killing someone who does not wish to die. Germans gassing millions of Jews just for the sake of it is murder. Killing a ninety year old man who wants to die with a little bit of dignity is a human act of empathy’ (n.d.)” (Templin, 2010).
References
Black, A. (n.d.). Euthanasia: Is It Murder. Retrieved May 21, 2010, from
Dunning, J., Fritzs, Z., Morgan, P., Rollin, M., Russell, G., Sheehan, C., & et al. Medical Oaths
and Declarations: A declaration marks an explicit commitment to ethical behavior.
Retrieved December 15, 2010, from http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1121898/
Euthanasia. (1929). Websters Collegiate Dictionary (p. 347, 3rd ed. Of the Merriam series).
Springfield, Mass. G & C Merriam Co.
Guo, F. (2006). A Concept Analysis of Voluntary Active Euthanasia. Nursing Forum, 41(4).
Retrieved May 24, 2010, from Inst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1274761613&clientId=74379
Hippocrates (n.d.). The Oath of Hippocrates (2010). Retrieved December 15, 2010, from
http://www.doctorslounge.com/oath.htm
Kastenbaum, R. (n.d.). Euthanasia: History, Controversy, Facts. Retrieved May 21, 2010, from
Sobsey, D., & Wolbring, G. (1995). A Background Paper Prepared for the Premier’s Council on
the Status of Persons with Disabilities (Alberta). Retrieved December 10, 2010, from
http://www.bioethicsanddisability.org/eut_def.html
Templin, A. (2010). Dying with Dignity. Composition II, Ashford University.
