Euthanasia and palliative caring are two different things whereby euthanasia aims at eliminating the pain and suffering of patients and the caregivers as well as family members permanently. On the other hand, palliative care aims at eliminating the pain and suffering of patients and all others around them through temporary means. Although euthanasia is under palliative care, and only comes as the last option. Euthanasia is a medical term which means assisted death. It is a deliberate action which is usually taken by a physician on a patient to end his or her life to relieve them from pain and suffering. There are two types of euthanasia, involuntary and voluntary euthanasia. When euthanasia is voluntary, the act is conducted with the consent of the patient. On the other hand, involuntary euthanasia is the kind of euthanasia, which is conducted without the consent of the patients. Usually, this decision is made by someone else simply because at that time the patient cannot decide by him/herself (Nordqvist, 2017). Often, this process of ending a person’s life is painless and can only be done if the family agrees if it is involuntary and if the patient decides if it is voluntary. Also, euthanasia may be active or passive. Passive euthanasia is whereby the treatments which are life-sustaining are withheld. Then, active euthanasia is whereby lethal force or substance is used to end the life of a patient; it may be by the patient themselves or someone else (Nordqvist, 2017). All the same whether passive or active, whether voluntary or involuntary, different people, have different views towards euthanasia, is it for the greater good and friendly or is it a foe. While others consider this action as a method of palliative care, others consider it as an inhumane action.
Patients tend to endure the suffering of different kinds, from emotional to physical suffering. Some life-threatening conditions which are untreatable, like cancer, tend to be more overwhelming to patients. Cancer patients, especially those in the late stages have to undergo numerous tests and other kinds of treatments which may be too overwhelming for them. At such a point, having in mind that the process is just to add a little meaning and time in their lives, euthanasia becomes the best option. In this case, voluntary euthanasia may be favored by the patient to help in eliminating the pain and suffering that they may be going through (Erdek, 2015).
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What is more, as much as it may cause more pain to the family members it would be significant since seeing one of their members suffering also stresses them. Suffering, especially due to terminal illness like cancer, it has no improvement prospect and therefore a burden to the caregivers (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012). Everybody has a right to live, and patients also have the right to refuse treatment; by voluntarily opting for euthanasia, patients have the right to die by preceding their right to live (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012).
People have different interests, and thus the interest and decision for a sweet and simple death lie within every person. Some people believe that euthanasia is a kind of way of eliminating the invalid, such that those who are suffering from illnesses which are debilitating get disposed of from this civilized society. Palliative care, as the opponents of euthanasia, argue it is a much better way of to be used in caring for the dying since it provides relief to the patients thus distressing the pain and symptoms (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012). Palliative care is believed to be capable of offering a greater way of managing pain other than death. Compared to euthanasia palliative care offers fundamental respect and compassionate care to the terminally ill and dying patients (Erdek, 2015). All the same, this method only offers temporary relief and suffering may not be eliminated simply because patients continuously ask for medical assistance to end their lives (Dierickx et al., 2018). It is clear that they are solely interested in their interests and are embracing their rights to die.
Voluntary euthanasia is a patient’s sole interest to aid in eliminating the pain and suffering they may be going through. Some patients are completely ill and in a state which is more like a vegetable. Such patients consider the fact that they are a burden to their family and thus consider euthanasia. Euthanasia to such patients is considered to be a way of upholding the right to life through honoring the death right with dignity (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012). It is believed that a minor portion of dying or the severely ill patients have excruciating pain and suffering experience even with the best palliative efforts thus pushing for the need to end life voluntarily (Downing et al., 2017). The patient’s right to live gives them the power to decide their fate, if they feel their life quality is poor, the option of euthanasia may be highly appreciated (Downing et, al. 2017). According to the law, a person has the right to refuse medical care or treatment. Refusing treatment may present the patient with the passive form of euthanasia. A patient may decide not to continue with treatment, for instance, refusing gastrostomy tubes would leave the patient with one thing, Euthanasia. Decision making within the US is a process which is highly valued. Every individual has a right to choose what they believe is most suitable for them, “liberty of interest” is a guarantee in the American Constitution fourth amendment (Fraser & Walters, 2018).
Euthanasia is not always voluntary as sometimes it is involuntary where the family of the patient has to decide to end his/her life. Usually, in this case, the patient is unable to make or contribute to the decision to end their lives. Involuntary euthanasia is in most cases due to a prolonged stay on a comma. In most cases, involuntary euthanasia is as a result of the burden resulting from the caregiver’s supporters of right-to-die believe that those who are incapable of being cured, have debilitating, disabling, or degenerative have the right of dying with dignity. More so, individuals having a debilitating chronic illness despite not being terminal like severe mental sickness have further come to defend the right to die. Many people who suffer the most are the family members or caretakers of the patients. This may be worse if their patient is very much unresponsive. The burden that is endured by the caregivers is huge cutting across numerous domains like time, emotional, social, physical, mental and financial wellbeing (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012). To cut on this large burden, the caregivers may decide to give their patient peace and relieve themselves from all suffering. Many people argue that involuntary euthanasia should not be allowed since the patients may not be willing to die and thus the decision by their families may be violating their right to life. Sometimes, the involuntary euthanasia decision may be made by doctors themselves, especially if the patient is a pregnant woman and her life and that of the unborn baby is on balance such that one must pave the way for the other to survive. While many people consider euthanasia as the best way of eliminating pain and suffering, some see it as an act that is more judgmental. More so they tend to believe that the decision for undergoing euthanasia may be a sign of mental sickness (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012).
Euthanasia is simply mercy killing, where the doctor aids the patient to end his/her life to eliminate pain and suffering. Euthanasia is it voluntary or involuntary, an agreement by the patient or family must be viable, so as the process to be a success and can therefore not be termed judgmental or inhumane. Deliberately producing a person(s) death who has willingly agreed (voluntary euthanasia) to pass is just respecting the final wishes and it would be more good than harm. Involuntary euthanasia the agreement is direct from the patients who feel the pain and suffering and also feel the suffering of their family members and caregivers. This practice, unlike the early years where only a few countries advocated for it, today, many countries have gone ahead to advocate for euthanasia. Euthanasia gives the patients the opportunity to have their final say in what is to be done.
In most cases, terminal illnesses have numerous processes to aid in maintaining them and give patients normal lives. But the process may not be that easy since it causes pain and suffering to them. What is more, the burden being huge since the treatments’ process is too costly and the patients may never completely recover to be in completely perfect health again, to relieve the suffering which may be intolerable euthanasia can always be reached for. It is believed that a minor portion of dying or the severely ill patients have excruciating pain and suffering experience even with the best palliative efforts thus pushing for the need to end life voluntarily.
It is within every person(s) reach, and thus their right to possibly avoid the end of life excruciating pain hence enjoys a dignified and timely death. Understanding the fact that doctors only do whatever their patients wish for them does not mean that they decide to end their patient’s life. More so, some patients deem their quality of life unacceptably poor (Boudreau, 2011). As a result, they tend to have euthanasia as an option. Patients have the right to decide whether they are comfortable and want to continue with the treatment being offered or terminate it. As for this reason, patients tend to have the final say about what they want. And therefore, since the pain and suffering endured by the patients tend to be so severe, their autonomy should be respected since they have decided by themselves that ending their life is the best option (Downing et al., 2017). All the same, euthanasia may be involuntary. In such kinds of euthanasia, the decision to end the life of the patient is in the hands of another person who may be family. Involuntary euthanasia occurs mostly when the patient is unable to speak for him/herself simply because of the state they are in, that is, a comma thus very unresponsive. Palliative care on the other hand, as much as it is for the greater good, it only offers a temporary solution, but the suffering continues being experienced especially within the family. Euthanasia is no doubt a suitable option to end the excruciating pain and suffering experienced in life by patients. To aid them to die with dignity, accepting their autonomy and respecting their final wishes is very soothing to them. Involuntary euthanasia despite not being the patient’s decision is very overwhelming to the family, but relieving at the same time simply because it would help ease their pain and suffering as well as save the emotional, financial, and social, well-being among others. Therefore, euthanasia should always be considered. Euthanasia offers a simple and soothing death to a patient, releasing them from the pain as well as suffering they may be experiencing due to their illness in addition to offering relief to the family. Therefore, euthanasia should be freely welcomed into the society and be embraced since it is not a foe, but a rather friendly aspect of life and end of life to patients and family.
References
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Dierickx, S., Deliens, L., Cohen, J. & Chambaere, K. (2017). Involvement of palliative care in euthanasia practice in a context of legalized euthanasia: A population-based mortality follow-back study. Palliative Medicine . DOI: 10.1177/0269216317727158
Downing, J., Pettus, K., Woodruff, R. Lima, D. L., Buitrago, R., Munyoro, E., Venkateswaran, C., Bhatnagar, S. & Radbruch, L. (2017). International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Position Statement: Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide. Journal of Palliative Medicine , 20(1), 8-14. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2016.0290
Erdek, M. (2015). Pain medicine and palliative care as an alternative to euthanasia in end-of-life cancer care. The Linacre Quarterly, 82 (2), 128-134. doi: 10.1179/2050854915Y.0000000003
Fraser, I. S. & Walters, W. J. (2018). Death - whose decision? Euthanasia and the terminally ill. Journal of Medical Ethics . Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jme.26.2.121
Math, B. S. & Chaturvedi, K. S. (2012). Euthanasia: Right to life vs. right to die. Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR). 136 (6): 899–902.
Nordqvist, C. (2017). What are euthanasia and assisted suicide? Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/182951.php
