Euthanasia And The Current Legal Position Of Euthanasia

1. INTRODUCTION The term â€Å"euthanasia† is derived from Greek, and means â€Å"Good death.† It is a broad term for mercy killing, which is a plea to euthanasia. It represents a serious socio-legal debate. People do not always die well. Some afflictions cause people to suffer extreme physical pain in their last days, and euthanasia may seem a compassionate way to end the pain. The case of Karen Ann Quinlan set a precedent for patient’s right to refuse unwanted medical treatment. However, the credit of bringing euthanasia to the public goes to Jack Kevorkian. The objective of this project work is to address the burning debate on legalizing euthanasia in India and establishing the current legal position of euthanasia in India through judicial decisions. 2. THE CONCEPT i. Historical background From the days of Holocaust to the days of Aruna Shangbaug the issue of euthanasia has been a burning issue. It was practiced in Ancient Greece and Rome and was supported by the Socrates and Plato. Euthanasia was more acceptable under Protestantism and during the Age of Enlightenment. Among the Nazis it was based on the policy, ‘Life unworthy of life’ needs to be destroyed as their burdensome existence hampers the growth and development of national economy. Ancient Indian philosophy also justifies the idea of willing death. As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Rama took Jal Samadhi in Sarayu river, Lord Buddha and Mahavira also attained similar death. Mahatama Gandhi too supported the idea ofShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Legalizing Voluntary Euthanasia1429 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Euthanasia refers to a practice whereby an act is intentionally carried out with the purpose inducing death . It is usually seen in light of inducing death to patients who are terminally ill or may not be terminally ill but are suffering from unbearable pain . The focus of this paper is on voluntary euthanasia, namely, euthanasia carried out upon the request of a patient deemed competent enough to make such decisions . This paper will argue the importance of legalising voluntary euthanasia toRead MoreThe Issue Of Euthanasia And Euthanasia868 Words   |  4 PagesDarek Abe Johnson-Olin English 101 1 December 2015 The Right to Die Euthanasia, known for being the practice of deliberately ending a life, is usually performed to relieve an individual from incurable diseases or suffering (Methods of Euthanasia). Present incurable diseases can make life intolerable, take away the enjoyment of life, and make a life not worth living. Even with modern advances in medicine, there are some cases where pain can only be reduced, and a patient must endure this pain untilRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Euthanasia Essay1223 Words   |  5 Pages Euthanasia James Dudley Euthanasia continues to be an ongoing issue in modern society. Over the course of history, there has been a multitude of debates that have tried to justify assisted suicide, or euthanasia. Gallup’s study in 2013 openly shows this statistic by showing that over 75 percent of Americans trust that euthanasia should be acceptable. However, what Americans don’t comprehend is that making any form of euthanasia legal infringes upon the right to life as stated in the constitutionRead MoreAssisted Suicide : A Controversial Subject1224 Words   |  5 PagesI will also come up with current legislation, and the impact assisted suicide has on social and moral values. Assisted suicide or euthanasia is derived from the Greek word euthanatos which means easy death. Assisted suicide or voluntary Euthanasia is the conclusion to end one s life, by another at the request of that individual. If a person is too ill, the family can petition it, or in some circumstances the courts can decide, which is called non-voluntary euthanasia. Since the beginning of theRead MoreEuthanasi Ethical And Legal Issues Within The Australian Context1550 Words   |  7 Pagesreconcile than that of euthanasia. The legalisation of euthanasia continues to be passionately debated. It has been a pertinent issue in human rights discourse as it affects ethical and legal issues pertaining to both the patient and the health care practitioner (Bartels Otlowski, 2010). The following essay will define euthanasia and make the distinction between active, passive, voluntary, non-voluntary, involuntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Relevant legal issues within the AustralianRead MoreEuthanasi A Way Out Of Suffering1742 Words   |  7 Pages Euthanasia; A Way Out Of Suffering Chelsey L. Isner Weir High School Mrs. Lengthorn Mrs. Pellegrino  Abstract Human euthanization is not something new, but it is widely believed to be unethical. In reality, human euthanization is a painless solution to a terminal illness. The topic of this paper is how euthanization for humans is not a bad thing. During the writing process questions were asked about how religion views euthanasia, if it would be used for suicidal purposes, If Belgium’s lawRead MoreAssisted Death And Voluntary Euthanasia1586 Words   |  7 Pagesboth physician assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. It gives the freedom to a terminally ill person or a mentally competent adult, to choose on their own free will and after meeting strict legal safeguards, takes prescribed medication which will end their life in dying. There are two types of Euthanasia. Involuntary and voluntary. Voluntary euthanasia is when a terminally ill individual decides to end their own life, whereas, involuntary euthanasia is when another person makes the decision toRead MoreArgumentative Essay O n Euthanasia994 Words   |  4 PagesThe term Euthanasia is quite a hot debate these days, even back in last century. People consider this as a process where people choose to end their lives with no physical pain by ingesting a pill, which also known mercy killing and assisted suicide. Due to the effect, many comments are about whether this way of killing should be legal or forbidden. Jack Kevorkian, an euthanasia proponent, was well known as â€Å"Doctor Death† who was a physician give patients the choice of mercy killing. Yet, he was arrestedRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized? Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å" To insist on artificially maintaining existence without regard for its condition is a degradation of the meaning of life, not a promotion of it (Cockeram 33) .† Many adults perceive euthanasia as a murderous act that involves cruel and unusual pain; when in fact, it is usually a method that helps the individual reach their demise in a less miserable manor. Immigrants to the United States are inclined to become a citizen, not for the beautiful geography, but because the U.S. is one of the few countriesRead MoreApplication Of The Code Of Ethics For Nurses With Interpretative Statements1699 Words   |  7 Pagesencounter many different ethical dilemmas in the healthcare field and must be prepared. A few dilemmas include active euthanasia, influenza vaccinations, maintaining an ethical environment, keeping patients healthcare information confidential, and continuing education. Nursing and Active Euthanasia One of the more controversial issues in healthcare is active euthanasia. Active euthanasia can be defined as the use of lethal drugs by a health-care professional with the intention of terminating the patient’s