Euthanasia

Prepared by:

Ashutosh Pathak Manjari Singh Raju Kumar B.Tech.(IT)

Origin
From Greek word

Eu = good, nice, merciful and facilitated

Tathanos = death or killing Linguistically = merciful death or killing or good or facilitated death Modern science = facilitating the death of an incurable patient at his own pressing request presented to the treating physician.

Definition
Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of a person for the benefit of that person. In most cases euthanasia is carried out because the person who dies asks for it, but there are cases called euthanasia where a person can't make such a request.

5 Different Types
Active Voluntary NonEuthanasia Euthanasi voluntary a Active Passive Voluntary NonEuthanasia Euthanasi voluntary a Passive

X
Involuntar y Euthanasi a Passive

Active Euthanasia
Something is done to the patient to hasten Death Not legal in the United States Legal in Netherlands and Australia Examples: drugs are administered at lethal levels.

Passive Euthanasia
Patient is allowed to die. Only medication help ease patients pain is administered. Examples: Turning off respirator, refusing chemotherapy.

Voluntary Euthanasia
Patient request treatment to be stopped. Examples: chemotherapy or dialysis.

Non- Voluntary
Patient cannot decide from themselves. Someone makes the decision for them. Examples: children, comatose patients, or individuals not mentally competent

Involuntary
Patient is refused a life sustaining treatment. Examples: Drugs are too costly, limited supply of organs. About 13,000 patients are on waiting list in the US.

Assisted Suicide
When someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When a doctor helps another person to kill themselves it is called physician assisted suicide.

History Cont.
1920 The book "Permitting the Destruction of Life not Worthy of Life" was published. In this book, authors Alfred Hoche, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Freiburg, and Karl Binding, a professor of law from the University of Leipzig, argued that patients who ask for "death assistance" should, under very carefully controlled conditions, be able to obtain it from a physician. This book helped support involuntary euthanasia by Nazi Germany.

Nazi Germany
1939 In Nazi GermanyHitler ordered widespread mercy killing of the sick and disabled. 1935 The Euthanasia Society of England was formed to promote euthanasia.

History Cont.
1995 Australia's Northern Territory approved the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act . It went into effect in 1996 and was overturned by the Australian Parliament in 1997.

History Cont.
2002 Euthanasia is legalized in Belgium 2005 Netherlands set to give the go-ahead to child euthanasia.

Japan
In 1995 a Japaneselegalized "Active euthanasia" when four criteria are satisfied: unbearable pain, proximate death, no other way to relieve pain; and clear consent. Passive euthanasia, without consent, is also allowed if relatives consent.

Belgium- not to be outdone

The Belgian act legalizing euthanasia was passed on May 28, 2002 and went into effect on September 23, 2002. It limited euthanasia to competent adults and emancipated minors. Just recently, the government announced it intends to extend its euthanasia law to newborns and children Approximately 2,000 people have used the law

Australia
Death by Laptop Performed by Dr. Philip Nitschke Used the law to assist four people with their suicides. Hooked up IV to patient which was connected to laptop.

Canada
Current bill being considered that would legalize euthanasia Bill C-407 legalizes both euthanasia and assisted suicide. For people with chronic suffering and mental pain. Person does not need to try to find other ways of helping ease pain, they may refuse and just choose euthanasia Anyone can help euthanize a person, does not need to be a physician, but need confirmation

It is not illegal to commit suicide It is illegal to help someone commit suicide. To do so could result in imprisonment for murder. It is illegal to end an ill persons life if it could possibly be preserved to a basic standard or quality of life. Doctors must seek the consent of family members before making decisions about unconscious patients.

International Organizations
Council of Europe has rejected bills that would legalize euthanasia UN is against euthanasia However, wording of new draft for rights of people with disabilities seems to leave the door open: The text makes illegal all "medical or related interventions," possibly including life-saving nutrition and hydration, carried out without the "free and informed consent" of the person concerned or his legal representative. Needless to say, Catholic church is strongly opposed to euthanasia

Good consequences of euthanasia

It would be possible to respect the self-determination of competent patients who want it. It would reassure the large number of people who want to have the option of euthanasia Some pain and suffering can only be relieved by euthanasia (psychological as well as physical pain).

Potential bad consequences

Undermine moral center of medicine, first, do no harm Weaken societys commitment to provide care for dying patients (its easier to kill them) Some patients may feel pressured to accept death because of a felt burden There may be a slip into non-voluntary euthanasia

Euthanasia from a doctors point of view Doctors have a responsibility to strive to keep alive a patient even if they know that patient is dying. When becoming a doctor, they take the Hippocratic oath in which they promise to live up to this responsibility.

Opinions on Euthanasia
Dr. Charles Dougherty - legalizing euthanasia would harm society William Carr - people will want the comfort of knowing that if they choose, a physician will be ready, willing, and able to help themby offering a death with dignity

Euthanasia Suicide Assisted suicide / voluntary euthanasia Non-voluntary euthanasia

Not striving to keep alive

Bringing about a quiet and easy death When a person decides to end their own life. When a person needs to be helped by a doctor or relative to end their own life, usually when they have a painful and terminal illness. A form of euthanasia. When a person is unconscious or unable to decide for themselves (e.g. babies) and they are not kept alive because the quality of life would be so poor. When a person has an illness from which they will die, there comes a point when treatment is no longer given as it is simply prolonging the patients pain & suffering. Doctors would not continue to keep the

Conclusion
Active euthanasia is haram in Islam because it is likely the act of murder according to Quranic verses and fatwa of Muslim scholars. It is permissible due to some conditions- passive euthanasia. The patient that request for euthanasia in order to stop his burden and pain is considered as committing suicide.

 When someone in pain or suffering severe disease, he must be patient and willingly accept it as well as attempted to get better treatment.
Prophet Muhammad taught When the believer is afflicted with pain, even that of a prick of a thorn or more, God forgives his sins, and his wrongdoings are discarded as a tree sheds off its leaves.

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