Euthanasia Should Be Allowed

Jing Guo
China

Have you heard of the word ‘euthanasia’? The word "euthanasia" came from Latin. To be specific, ‘eu ‘means goodly or well, ‘thanatos’ equal to a good death. “The physician was expected to provide conditions that would facilitate a gentle death but ‘least of all should he be permitted, prompted either by other people’s request or his own sense of mercy, to end the patient’s pitiful condition by purposefully and deliberately hastening death’ (Boudreau & Somerville, 2014).” Physicians supports the euthanasia, but just frustrated because they have no permit to practice the euthanasia.

A news attracted public’s attention is that the Vermont Legislature passed a law permitting euthanasia by last May, joining Montana, Oregon and Washington. This spring, advocates are strongly promoting “death with dignity” bills in Connecticut and other states and most people support that.

First of all, patients who have incurable disease suffer too much physically. Incurable disease means anyone who can only extend their lives by medicines and machines. For example, Parkinson’s patients cannot manage themselves without their families or nurses helps and even they won’t leave their beds until they die.

That is painful because anyone’s skin whose cannot touch clean air a long time will be resulted in red, swollen and putrid. This means they endure the pain of the effects of not controlling their bodies despite fact that they are mentally aware. In general, they also suffer in cannot communicate with others. Although Hawkins can afford it, most of Parkinson’s patients cannot afford ‘Talking Machine” as him. It is so unfortunate because they have lost their basic abilities as human beings.

Also, diseases burden patients and their family too much mentally at the same time. Human who have not enough socialization will lead them burden in clinical depression. Like Hawkins, he need infuse medicine all the time for support him enough nutrition. His feeling should not too bad because he gets huge social value and regonazation. However, nobody knows how his life like when he stay at home along before sleep.

Despite other patients could get same socialization value as Hawkins, they must be felt lose their dignity which is the only thing they possess. What their classical actions are throwing things, refuse eating and roaring. This burdens their families mentally, feeling tried and losing confidents. The tried emotion from their families will turn back to patients, and their moods will be influenced by each other. This will make situation worse and worse. Patients will think that their existence is a kind of burden for families and losing dignity then. These patients wouldn’t have good moods and impossible enjoy their last life.

What’s worse, patients who get terminal illness burden their families financial. Patients who have terminal illness means patients who get it will not live a long life, maybe a few months. In these few months, families need to endure huge a burden. It is always happened that the cost which provide patients’ life burden families much despite patient have healthcare insurance. Take cancer for example. Some of the newer drugs cost upwards of $10,000 a month, prices most uninsured people can't afford. Even patients who do have insurance often have to pay 20 to 40% of that cost (Marlo, 2007). Obviously, normal families cannot afford this. For only extent patients’ life about few months, most families need to borrow money from others, and become a burden.

In my opinion, patients should be allowed to apply to the euthanasia because patients should decide for themselves. Defining this basic right, Jackson (2014) said “life, liberty and security of the person” are primary goals. The patient is the only one who can make the decision. Luley has been working as a volunteer for ten years. She said “We seem to have forgotten that death is part of life. In a way, suicide is the ultimate self-determination, the last human right” ( Jackson, 2014). How can anyone else decide who gets to live?

Do physicians have the right to refuse their patients who wish to end their life peaceful? If a patient loses hope for living and have not enough good quality of life, this person should not be forced to keep his life. As a result, patients have the right to suicide, but just because they have no abilities to practice it, they need physicians’ help. And it is a kind of way how protect their “the last right”.

But some critics argue that this practice should be denied based on the morals of the doctor and society. However, there is indeed have some times physician cannot give patients good life back because the limited of medicine technique. If die with dignity is the last wishes of a patient, I don’t think it is unmoral that physician just want to meet the patients the last wishes. So I think that the euthanasia should be allowed.

Reference

Jackson, C. (2014, April). Should we have the right to die? Therapy Today. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=95868701

Boudreau, J., & Somerville, M. A. (2014, July). Euthanasia and assisted suicide: a physician's and ethicist'sperspectives. Medicolegal & Bioethics, Retrieved from            http://0search.ebscohost.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=97407418

Marlo, S. (2014). Cancer Patients: Going Broke to Stay Alive. Aging Care, Connecting

Caregivers, Retrieved from http://www.agingcare.com/Articles/why-cancer-patients-cannot-afford-treatment 139136.htm