Euthanasia - Types, Advantages, and Disadvantages

Introduction

Euthanasia is a practice performed by a doctor at the patient's request. Some causes can lead a patient to euthanasia at last. However, it has many legal issues, so all the countries do not legalize it. This topic explains what euthanasia is, what all types of euthanasia are, its advantages, and its disadvantages.

What Is Euthanasia?

Euthanasia is a practice done by the doctor to end a patient's or someone's life deliberately, usually performed to relieve suffering. Doctors perform it on requests by patients. Patients dealing with a lot of pain and illness can convince doctors to do such a practice. It is a complicated process having a lot of protocols for legal laws and the patient’s mental status and will.

What Are the Different Types of Euthanasia?

There are many types of euthanasia. Euthanasia depends upon factors like the level of illness and the patient's mental status. Different types of euthanasia are:

• Assisted Suicide - Assisted suicide is when a patient has eternal suffering and requests a doctor to give a painless method to die. The doctor helps the patient end their life by providing a lethal drug. This is called physician-assisted suicide. The form of suicide could be by having a deadly drug orally by the patient or by an injection given by the doctor.

• Active Euthanasia - When a doctor directly ends the patient's life purposefully by giving a lethal dose, it is called active euthanasia. Like injecting the injection of lethal dose can directly kill the patients.

• Passive Euthanasia - When a doctor ends the patient's life slowly by increasing the high dose of medication, it is passive euthanasia. This method makes use of a medicine that is a toxic drug, which on usage makes the patient die.

• Voluntary Euthanasia - It is when the patient has decided to end their life after considering the health issues. It even provides informed consent before the patient’s death.

• Non-Voluntary Euthanasia - It is when some other person decides to end some other life. It involves a close family of a patient to make such a decision. It is done because the patient is unconscious and has not responded to the treatment the doctor is providing. After the decision, the basic life support of the patient is stopped.

• Involuntary Euthanasia - When euthanasia occurs without the consent of the patient, sometimes against the patient's wishes, it is called involuntary euthanasia. The decision is made by the patient near one as the patient is unconscious to make a decision.

Is Euthanasia a Legal Practice?

Although it is a patient choice to live or die, in some countries, it is illegal, and some have legalized it. Many debates on legalizing it have been ongoing. But few countries accept it with statements of law under it. The countries that have legalized euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are:

• The Netherlands.

• Belgium.

• Luxembourg.

• Colombia.

• Canada.

Some countries have legalized physician-assisted suicides but have not legalized euthanasia. The countries are:

• The United States.

• Australia.

• Germany.

• Switzerland.

• Japan.

In the United States, physician-assisted suicide is legal in some states. However, these states have different legal works. States are:

• Washington.

• Oregon.

• California.

• Colorado.

• Montana.

• Vermont.

• Hawaii.

• Washington, D.C.

Countries legalizing passive euthanasia are:

• The Netherlands.

• Canada.

• Belgium.

• Colombia.

• Luxembourg.

• India.

What Are the Advantages of Euthanasia?

The advantages of euthanasia are:

• The use of euthanasia is the last option left when nothing goes for the treatment of the patients. The main goal is to end the suffering of the patient.

• The right to die is a personal choice; even the government can not interfere in the decision.

• Euthanasia has less involvement of the doctor. The patient has a more prominent role to play than the doctor.

• The final decision of euthanasia benefits the patient's loved ones in every way of finances and time.

• The patient wants to free his loved ones from the burden of caring.

• All patients are not allowed to go for euthanasia; few patients with very severe and chronic illnesses with no improvement points are accepted for euthanasia.

• As death is the bitter truth, it will happen anyway.

What Are the Disadvantages of Euthanasia?

Disadvantages of euthanasia are:

• The prediction of the terminal diagnosis is sometimes not accurate. Diagnosis of the patient's problem should be accurate.

• Consent issues - The doctor should have legal consent informed to the patient before euthanasia.

• Medication issues - Euthanasia sometimes does not work as promised.

• The patient can use euthanasia for other personal reasons.

• Doctor relieving false information.

• Most patients do not listen to the complete procedure of euthanasia.

• Euthanasia eliminates the benefit of palliative care.

Is Euthanasia a Murder?

No, euthanasia is not murder. It is an entirely new legal decision made by the patient to die, to get free from the never-ending illness he is suffering. In the conclusion of euthanasia, the patient has informed consent, which informs about the patient's will and protects the doctor. The doctor plays just a short role in eliminating the patient’s pain.

What Are the Associated Factors That Affect Euthanasia?

The factors affecting euthanasia are:

• Age - Patients over 80 years of age have a lower recovery rate.

• Causes of Illness - Patients associated with cancer have significantly fewer chances to live a complete life.

• Mental Stress - It can affect the mental status of the patient.

• Ethnicity - Some religious people do it in the name of tradition.

Is Euthanasia the Right Choice at Last?

Euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide is a personal choice of the patient to die. However, it is a callous decision for the patient or the loved ones. Even if all the scenarios favor euthanasia, one should know final treatments for palliative care should be done. The end-to-life treatment is for critically ill patients. Before going for euthanasia, the doctor should acknowledge the patient of all the perspectives related to patients and legal laws. Euthanasia should never be done blindly or without trusting anyone. The patient should also take a second opinion before euthanasia.

Conclusion

Euthanasia is deliberately ending a critically ill patient who is not responding to any treatment. There are legal actions involved in it. Euthanasia is of different types; active or passive euthanasia and voluntary or non-voluntary euthanasia. Some factors affect it, like mental stress and the patient's age. Although all countries do not favor it, some countries prefer just physician-assisted suicide.