Should the Terminally Ill Be Able to Have Physicians Help Them Die - Essay Example

Should the Terminally Ill Be Able to Have Physicians Help Them Die? The contemporary world is full of pain and sufferings. In the light of this current reality, the problem of physician-assisted death is of current significance. For the last two decades, euthanasia has been a subject of much controversy (Keown, 2002).  Physicians, politicians, religious groups and scientists discuss the possibility of modernly legitimating euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia occurs when an individual is ‘killed’ has requested by him or her. Euthanasia is normally taken to imply ‘mercy killing’ as well as is applied to circumstances when a patient is enduring a terminal illness or suffering severely (Keown, 2002). This may be done through the request of a dying patient or that individual’s legal representative Euthanasia may also imply as the practice by physicians of deliberately ending one’s life releasing them from intolerable suffering and an incurable disease. Currently in many countries, Euthanasia is not permitted by law. In fact, one may get life imprisonment. In my view, Euthanasia should be legalized. Since it allows the patients get to die in a rather lesser pain way or lowers prolong suffering as much as possible, the majority of the public in the US believe that Euthanasia should be legal and morally acceptable and in a democratic society a person should be allowed to choose his or her time of death. The main reason for legalizing euthanasia would be to help the patients with various ailments alleviate their depression, pain and suffering. Many diseases remain incurable despite the resent technology advances thus need to assist patients avoid such a pain. For example, some patients with terrible disease like those in advance stages of cancers have remained trapped in hospital bed with unjustifiable pain and suffering each day which is not fair. This has been despite the fact that they do not wish to endure such pain. We can’t deny the fact that today, patients’ decision to request for a cessation of various treatment, reflecting their personal preference for death as opposed to a continuation of ailments suffering or discomfort. Hence, that person’s decision should be carried out since they have that right to lesser painful death that is only one of many justifiable reasons why terminally ill patients should have physicians help them die. Another reason why terminally ill patients should have physicians help them die is that it reduces inconveniences, physical and emotional burdens, as well as drawbacks imposed on close family members and friends. In additional to the miserable pain and suffering that the patients suffer with various illnesses, the emotional havoc and the trauma their family and friends go through is normally immense. As well, their close family members and friends are always sensitive to the associated costs that accumulates during such terminal care. The emotional burden related to with the diagnosis of many illnesses is many dominated by financial burden sustained through patient and his or her family thus justifying the act. This is particularly relevant for a less developed country as there exist limited government support for terminal care and treatment. Accordingly, patients always feel guilty in this whole ordeal, and in countless cases even become more severely ill (Randall & Downie, 2010). Noticeably, the patients won’t need to worry about their close family and their pain anymore once physicians help them die. This is to say, the emotional havoc and the trauma eminent to the family and friends can only be dealt with should have physicians help critically ill patients die. Though issues of Euthanasia are mainly private family stuffs, controversy concerning why physicians assist critically ill patients die as well as other end-of-life circumstances has always become public concerns in recent decades. In the US the public opinion supports physicians assisting critically ill patients being legalized. This adds to more calls to legalize the act. It is huge group of the population in the US that are in favor of physicians practicing or giving Euthanasia should they be requested by an incurably and critically ill patient when experiencing unbelievable pain and suffering. According to Gallups Values and Beliefs survey, conducted between May 6th and 10th this year, approximately seven in ten Americans accounting for about 68% say physicians should be legally allowed to help incurably ill patients to end their life, up 10 % points from 2014. More generally, support for doctors to help patients die has risen nearly 20 points in the past two years as well as stands at the utmost level. Such public opinion call for a review the laws call for illegality of Euthanasia. Arguably, in a free and democratic society citizens should be a will to choose the time of their death should they should terminally ill. Should we truly say, we are living in a free and democratic society thus an individual should be able to request their physician to conduct Voluntary Euthanasia should they be terminally ill (Kopelman & Ville, 2002). In not able to request legally implies that patients are not permitted too freely decide their fate. This is not in my opinion the true spirit of a democratic society. Contrary, its patient’s life, and the government only obligation are to respect such rights. In my opinion, all individuals are entitled to be treated as the one and only owner of h her or his life. Consequently, a person who allows a physician to end is life a stated time is well within his or her rights to doing so given he or she does that privately as well as devoid of jeopardizing the physical safety of those around. Basing on this assumption, the personal right of any democratic nation justifies physician-assisted deaths. Since physician-assisted death have been legal in some countries around the world like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg what makes it difficult to make it justifiable in the US is not clear. Assisted suicide as it is called here in the US is a felony similar to manslaughter in many states, proscribed by both statute and court common law interpretation. However what remains unclear is the reason why despite its success in many developed countries what makes it difficult for implementation in the US. A lot of reasons are rather tied to bureaucracy as opposed to the benefits that it may bring to the society at large. In this regard, it becomes important for physicians to assist the patients terminally ill to end their life in a dignified way. Nonetheless, like any other controversial issue, there have existed opposing viewpoints about whether terminally ill patients should be assisted by physicians to die. Pro-lifers, individuals who are against such acts, argue that euthanasia violate the right to live, and if legalized, many will focus on death rather than cure (Kopelman & Ville, 2002). Also, religious opponents of physician-assisted death disagree since they believe that only God is justified to decide when an individual dies. However, it is our duty to recognize that pain and suffering is an unavoidable part of human life, and it becomes our task is to understand such realities. In fact, should one put themselves in the shoes terminally ill patients, they would not want the same. This is to say, despite the associated loopholes, physician-assisted death is still very key to the society and should be justified. In conclusion, physician-assisted death should be practiced legally for the personal liberty and general societal benefits. Even though objections to the act is contentious, the paper has exemplified its justification. Countless terminally-ill patients don’t have a likelihood to recover. Thus laws should allow the physician to end their lives without much pain and suffering. After all the greatest human right in any democratic society is the right of self-ownership. In recent days, public opinion has argued for the legalization of Voluntary Euthanasia. This has been seen in few developed countries putting to questions whether the US is justifiable to prohibit Euthanasia. In totality, it becomes important for physicians to assist the patients terminally ill to end their life in a dignified way. References Gallups Values and Beliefs survey. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.gallup.com/poll/171704/seven-americans-back-euthanasia.aspxBottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Keown, J. (2002). Euthanasia, ethics, and public policy: An argument against legislation. New York: Cambridge University Press. Kopelman, L. M., & Ville, K. A. (2002). Physician-Assisted Suicide: What are the Issues?. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. Randall, F., & Downie, R. (2010). Assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia: Role contradictions for physicians. Clinical Medicine, 323-325. Read More