Euthanasia in the United Kingdom - Essay Example

?Euthanasia in the United Kingdom Euthanasia is recognized as the act of voluntarily taking one’s life. While in pure technical terms the act of euthanasia is a form of suicide, in practice it is generally associated with individuals facing end-of-life issues who choose euthanasia as a means of escaping pain and suffering associated with their condition. Specifically, the British House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics defined euthanasia as “a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering” (Harris 2001, p. 367). Globally there are a variety of legal perspectives on euthanasia. In the United States, individuals such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian popularized the practice, gaining significant media attention in the process; still, it must be mentioned that even as Kevorkian gained some mainstream acceptance, he was ultimately convicted for his actions. While euthanasia is illegal in all countries of the United Kingdom, there remains considerable controversy over this legal stance. While both the British Medical Association and the Church of England oppose euthanasia, the majority of the British public is in favor of legalization (Whiting 2002, p. 42). Considering the both sides of the debate, this essay examines whether euthanasia should be legalized in the United Kingdom. A variety of medical and legal contexts have also investigated the notion of euthanasia. Originally, the NHS indicates that euthanasia was originally prohibited in the United Kingdom in 1961 (‘Euthanasia and assisted suicide’, 2012). Currently this act makes contributing to suicide punishable by up to fourteen years in prison. While euthanasia is outlawed in the United Kingdom there are a variety of grey areas wherein end of life issues come to the foreground. Prominently the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) implemented the Liverpool Care Pathway which allows doctors to place terminally ill patients on pathway towards death. This has engendered controversy from groups indicating it has been implemented too early in life process (Doughty 2012). The United Kingdom has also legally implemented some of these practices through direct patient interaction, as the Mental Capacity Act of 2005 allows individuals to establish advanced directives in the instance they become mentally capacitated (Liddle 2007, p. 94). Additionally, increased attention has been given to euthanasia of premature babies. Otherwise, however, the United Kingdom law still prohibits euthanasia in most circumstances. Within the United Kingdom, some significant medical perspectives in favor of euthanasia are emerging, too. For instance, in 2012, in an editorial of one of the British Medical Journal issues, the author urged the British Medical Association to drop their opposition to euthanasia (White 2012). The argument was largely advanced through natural law ethical foundations. Some of the most prominent voices against euthanasia have emerged from the religious strata of society. As Christianity remains the most dominant religion of the United Kingdom and Western society, it has significantly influenced political and legal thought (‘Ethics Guide’ 2012). The Church of England has objected to the practice of euthanasia on a variety of grounds. The Fifth Commandment states, “You shall not kill” (Catechism of the Catholic Church n.d.). While there is the understanding that committing euthanasia, if considered at an ethical level, is not directly comparable to other acts of killing, from the Christian point of view it still is a negative occurrence. The Catholic Catechism states: “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being” Catechism of the Catholic Church n.d.). Rather than simply prohibiting the act of murder, this statement offers argumentation, defining life as sacred and belonging only to God (as far as the right to end life is concerned). The preceding examples demonstrate that Catholic doctrine prohibits acts related to euthanasia. Other religious perspectives have argued that just as Jesus suffered on the cross, so must humans suffer (Pavone 2010). Ultimately, these perspectives have formed prominent ethical stances against euthanasia in the United Kingdom. Ethical theory has prominently been applied to medical concerns and end-of-life issues through the United Kingdom. Perhaps the most overarching theory in these regards is universalizability. Partially derived from Kant’s notion of the categorical imperative, this perspective contends that, “A rule is universalisable if it can consistently be willed as a law that everyone ought to obey. The only rules which are morally good are those which can be universalised” (‘Ethics guide,’ 2012). This perspective is directly applicable to euthanasia when one considers advantages for both the specific individuals facing the end-of-life issues and their loved ones. Universalizability represents a mode of understanding that deals with functional, real-to-life considerations. Universalizability perspectives on the nature of euthanasia consider not only the individual’s life or death but also how these possible outcomes can impact the individual’s family and loved ones. In instances when the person’s early death is deemed the best possible option (to escape from needless suffering) for other individuals involved, then euthanasia is ethically justified. This perspective both affirms and denies the ethical viability of euthanasia depending on the specific circumstances. This essay has examined, through a consideration of a variety of perspectives, whether euthanasia should be legalized in the United Kingdom. It is clear that the decision is highly complex. While many may disregard religious narratives as outside the limits of reason, in many instances they reflect beliefs established through many centuries. Additionally, different ethical theories present conflicting views on this issue. It can be recognized that permitting euthanasia is further complicated by the fact that people in question are unstable as far as their state of mind is concerned; at that, permitting euthanasia is also complicated by its proximity to murder. Still, there are viable situations when it is a necessary alternative to suffering. Ultimately, it seems euthanasia should be legalized in specific and well-considered situations. Reference List Catechism of the Catholic Church n.d., Vatican VA, viewed 5 October 2012, . Doughty, S. 2012. Top Doctors Chilling claim. Dailymail. viewed 20 October 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2161869/Top-doctors-chilling-claim-The-NHS-kills-130-000-elderly-patients-year.html Ethics guide. 2012 BBC. viewed 20 October 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/ Euthanasia and assisted suicide. 2012. NHS. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Euthanasiaandassistedsuicide/Pages/Introduction.aspx Harris, NM 2001, ‘The euthanasia debate’, Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps, vol. 147, no. 3, pp. 367-70. Liddle, J 2007, ‘The Mental Capacity Act 2005: a new framework for healthcare decision making’, Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 94-97. Pavone, F 2010, Brief reflections on euthanasia, Priests for Life, viewed 5 October 2012, White, H 2012, British Medical Journal campaigns for legalized euthanasia, Lifesitenews, viewed 5 October 2012, Whiting, R 2002, A natural right to die: Twenty-three centuries of debate, Penguin, Westport, Connecticut. Read More