Euthanasia sholud be lgalised in the uk'.discuss this statemnt giving arguments on both sides of the debeate - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages... 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” ...Download file to see next pagesRead More