Euthanasia is one of the oldest controversial issues in the field of medicine. The issue has elicited a contentious debate in almost all countries across the globe. Euthanasia basically refers to the deliberate ending of a person’s life by a qualified medical doctor to relieve him or her from suffering or chronic pain. Assisted suicide, on the other hand, occurs when a patient is assisted by a doctor to end his or her life. Both euthanasia and assisted suicide have attracted a lot of controversies. Unlike in the past when they were aggressively opposed, especially by religious organizations, euthanasia is increasingly being embraced in different parts of the world. A significant number of countries have also legalized euthanasia, particularly in Europe. Asia countries are still hesitant to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide ( Stronegger et al ., 2013) . Culturally, euthanasia and assisted suicide are more embraced in Europe than in Asia.
The attitude and belief of European countries about euthanasia and assisted suicide have changed significantly since the 1970s when the debate on the topic started emerging strongly ( Castro et al ., 2016) . Initially, European people were not receptive to euthanasia, and religious beliefs mainly influenced the perception about the concept. However, unlike Asia culture that is based on collectivism, European culture leans towards individualism or liberality ( Stronegger et al ., 2013) . As a result, people rely on individual belief, thoughts, and views when making critical decisions in life. A substantial number of European people believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide are necessary, especially when they are aimed to prevent a patient from unnecessary chronic pain ( Stronegger et al ., 2013) . The need for a dignified death is the main reason why euthanasia and assisted suicide are embraced mainly in Europe ( Köneke, 2014) . The positive attitude about euthanasia and assisted suicide in Europe is the main reason why many countries legalize this medical practice.
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Nevertheless, euthanasia and assisted suicide still receive a lot of resistance in many Asia countries because of their conservative traditions and culture. Many traditions in many Asian countries do not allow people to talk about death. According to many Asians, dying is a natural thing that should not be initiated by any human beings, including qualified medical doctors. Any form of suicide is considered a taboo in many Asia countries. For instance, in Filipino, people strongly believe that suicide is against the tradition and any person who commits the act should never be forgiven ( Inbadas et al ., 2017) . A number of countries in the continent link any form of suicide to killing, which should not be tolerated in any society. At the same time, Asians believe that euthanasia is culturally wrong because it is a form of killing. Thus, the main reason why euthanasia and assisted suicide are not widely accepted in Asia is because they are associated with killing. Comparably, European culture is liberal about euthanasia while that of Asia still remains conservative on the issue ( Inbadas et al ., 2017) . Nonetheless, the attitude of Asians toward euthanasia and assisted suicide is gradually changing, mainly because of the increasing number of people with chronic and terminal illnesses.
The view that comes closest to my moral and ethical viewpoint is that of ensuring a dignified death for every human being, which is common among supporters of euthanasia and assisted suicide in Europe. It is the moral responsibility of every member of the society to makes sure that people with chronic and terminal illnesses do not undergo a lot of pain when they are dying. It is morally wrong to see a person who is nearing his or her death undergo a lot of pain, which can be avoided. Therefore, using effective and painless methods to end life intentionally is morally right. However, such a process of ending a person’s life should be voluntary. Besides, I do not agree with some of the countries that have legalized euthanasia for children. I believe that a child is not able to make a rational and independent decision when they are going through a lot of pain.
Also, my view on euthanasia has slightly evolved after reading a lot of information that supports and oppose the practice. I have realized that many people who oppose euthanasia do so because of religious or cultural issues. On the contrary, supporters of euthanasia based their reasons to end unnecessary pain and suffering. As a result, I now strongly support euthanasia because it does benefit not only patients but also their family members. People who oppose the practice because of religious or traditional issues should be sensitive to what patients are going through.
In conclusion, the debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide is not likely to end soon because it is highly effective. However, with the increasing number of people with chronic diseases and other terminal illnesses, all societies should embrace euthanasia and assisted suicide. But it is also essential for the government to formulate effective laws that ensure the practices are implemented effectively and appropriately without violating the rights of patients. Euthanasia and assisted suicide should only be voluntary and doctors and family members must seek the patient's full consent.
References
Castro, M. P. R. D., Antunes, G. C., Marcon, L. M. P., Andrade, L. S., Rückl, S., & Andrade, V. L. Â. (2016). Euthanasia and assisted suicide in western countries: a systematic review. Revista Bioética , 24 (2), 355-367.
Inbadas, H., Zaman, S., Whitelaw, S., & Clark, D. (2017). Declarations on euthanasia and assisted dying. Death Studies , 41 (9), 574-584.
Köneke, V. (2014). Trust increases euthanasia acceptance: a multilevel analysis using the European Values Study. BMC medical ethics , 15 (1).
Stronegger, W. J., Burkert, N. T., Grossschädl, F., & Freidl, W. (2013). Factors associated with the rejection of active euthanasia: a survey among the general public in Austria. BMC medical ethics , 14 (1).
