euthanasia. why is it wrong?

ninemsn.com.au article

A severely disfigured French woman was found dead at her home only two days after a court rejected her request for the right to die, in a case that has stirred much emotion in France.

In her appeal to the court, Sebire had said she did not want to endure further pain and subject herself to an irreversible worsening of her condition. She asked the court to allow her doctor to help her end her life.

its always puzzled me as to why they dont allow doctors to perform euthenasia on patients who are terminally ill

if im terminally ill and im getting to a point where i cant bare it anymore i should have access to an "easy out" method thats quick and painless.

its so wrong to protect life so much that we enforce prolonged pain and suffering on others against their will just to keep someone alive even if they want to go peacefully and there is no hope of recovery. "oh sorry, the court say / my doctors oath says"
screw what they say, its *MY* life and i should be able to decide how and when i go if im terminally ill.

then theres other "pro life" people who think it should remain illegal and in doing so they deny this right from other people who do not affect them anyway!
its basically "you dont know me, but i dont agree with euthenasia so i want to take the choice away from you too"

with so many people on this planet why is it so wrong to allow terminally ill people to make this choice for themselves?

why do we insist on taking away other peoples right to die with dignity and peace at a time of their choosing, usually with loved ones around?

this forces them to take drastic measures to end their life in other ways which are not peaceful and therefore die alone without any loved ones nearby.

The problem where I see it is that the government or family could always pressure someone into dying who doesn't want to.

Originally posted by chromatico
The problem where I see it is that the government or family could always pressure someone into dying who doesn't want to.

thats why i regularly said "terminally ill"

heck, they could even make it so you had to have 3x seperate doc's diagnose you as in advanced stages of being terminally ill, that would also prevent any rogue doctors or outside pressure.

it would also prevent patients who are depressed and/or suicidal making rash, baseless decisions.

Surprising someone was put to death due to Alzheimer's. Can it really get that bad? And it is kind of strange how the woman died; suicide?

As for the choice to die, it is there at any time. But for those who are suffering from temporary pain or pain in which one can survive and recover (such as severe depression, etc), their mental state is obviously not clear and cannot make a reasonable decision.

Although, long term pain can be dealt with and unless you ultimately lose all bodily and mental function due to pain etc, death should not be prescribed. Even in a state of pain one cannot necessarily choose a mindful option, so external advice is needed.

Difficult one.

reply to post by Obliv_au


What if a terminally ill person doesn't want to end their own life? Undue pressure could be applied to them.

The choice to live resides with the terminally ill person. Those who cannot endure the pain regardless of the technology available (i.e. painkillers) should be given the option, nay, the right to die with dignity.

reply to post by pikypiky


Au contraire. I think euthanasia has too much potential for abuse. Sure terminally ill people should be able to choose their own death, but have them break the law to do it. As cold as that may sound, to legalize euthanasia is to bring about the chance that it could be a mass-produced phenomenon, with people being pressured to do it.

i dont see it being open for abuse really. why would anyone convince gran' to take euthenasia just because she's old and slow which makes her hard to care for?

i know people are selfish and think Ka-Ching! inheritance money but if it had to be approved by 3 seperate doc's you could easily tell if a carer or family member was being over burdoning during those consultations, or if it was just depression or suicidal thoughts.


assuming there still was a way to abuse the system the chances of it occuring would be extremely rare.

There may come a time when euthanasia will be accepted as a norm of society. There is no law between life and death. WE are already deciding the fate of our domesticated animals (i.e. doggies, kitties, horses, etc…). Where is the law protecting animals from voicing their rights to stop euthanasia?

Anyway, I see no difference with the likes of people who cannot choose to live or die. They (i.e. terminally ill patience) have already gone through enough with pain. If euthanasia were indeed legalized, yeah in this scenario, genocide (along the line of population control, greed to the claim on someone’s life insurance or premature death of incapacitated people by someone else) could be other possibilities.

I just don’t like to see anyone (or animals) suffer, period.

reply to post by Obliv_au


You could always buy the docs off and in a universal healthcare system the government tries to save money. Therefore, there may be some pressure for the terminally ill to choose euthanasia.

The Big wigs get more money by people being kept alive and being pumped with "medice" and attacted to machines..


Take this lady below the pain she goes through is incredable...but hey Keep buying our pain meds...

www.liveleak.com...


P.s Look up the death factory in sweden when the have a building set up to assist in suicides....its incred able...I will try and find the news article..

reply to post by gmac1000


Like a "death factory" isn't more obscene. Kill 'em to save money, eh?

Originally posted by chromatico
reply to post by gmac1000

 

Like a "death factory" isn't more obscene. Kill 'em to save money, eh?

They are now accepting foreigners for the first time to come there...




And i appologise It is in Switzerland not Swedan Sorry and here is the article....

www.liveleak.com...
Also I got the Quote wrong aswell not "death Factory" but "suicide factory"

[edit on 20-3-2008 by gmac1000]

reply to post by gmac1000


I rest my case.

Originally posted by chromatico
reply to post by gmac1000

 

Like a "death factory" isn't more obscene. Kill 'em to save money, eh?

I think the idea kill kill them to end the suffering...Most Sick people care very little about money..yet their families have to do what is socially acceptable..

No one is forced to go to Dignitas to die. Dignitas and other organizations in Switzerland who assist the terminally ill to pass on in a dignified manner are strictly governed to make sure nothing illegal takes place.

Please note the last paragraph in the article which was linked. Zurich, Switzerland has the highest standard of living in the world.

Everyone should have the right to choose not to suffer.

I have personally known two people who were terminally ill, in great pain, and wanted to die with some vestige of dignity. In both cases their families were sympathetic but of course had their hands tied, and the patients died a pretty agonizing death. In these two cases I would see nothing wrong with euthanasia.

However, I am in agreement about the potential for abuse. How many children would just get tired of taking care of Grandma, or not want to pay for a nursing home, or would be greedy for their inheritance? Too many, I'm afraid. I like the suggestion that there should be at least three doctors who have determined the patient is truly terminal and facing an excruciating death (modern medicine has many effective ways to alleviate severe pain). Plus, there would have to be a foolproof way to determine whether it is really the patient's desire and not that they're giving up and giving in to family pressure.

I'm interested in the Swiss clinic and would like to know more about it, but my inclination is toward not legalizing euthanasia.

When I think of this issue, I think of the liberal mantra about keeping abortion safe, legal and rare.

Well, I'm not sure about how safe abortion is and for whom, but abortion is legal and anything but rare.

This is the slippery slope when it comes to euthanasia and society's stand on the matter.

I certainly don't like the idea of people suffering needlessly at the end of their lives, but I'd also hate to see the same kind of rationalizations that are applied to abortion applied to euthanasia.

This is an intensely personal matter and it is something that everyone should think about before they find themselves in the position of facing a slow, painful death and the inability to do anything about it.

When to bring the curtain down is a difficult decision, but is one that must be made while one is still fully functional, unless one is willing to trust the judgement of others in these matters.

People are gonna do it wither it's legal or not. I say have a program set up that will screen people, offer alternatives, counseling, and offer help to those who's mind can be changed. But to those who are terminally ill, suffering, and set on doing it, it will provide a way to do it peacefully.

I fail to see how this could be used abusively by patients or families.
Perhaps by doctors, who may push for it..organ donation maybe..or depending on the situation of the patient..perhaps a nice fee for the doc.
I most certainly would not ever want to go through the pain I saw my mother go through with her cancer. No amount of medication was any relief.
While in hospital she herself signed a DNR (Do Not resuscitate )knowing full well her time was near.
Why not the same for having your life of pain ended?
Why are we not allowed to decide this?
Why are doctors allowed to take legal action if you refuse treatment and force it upon you?
I think there is far more going on here and it has nothing at all to do with the Hippocratic oath.
en.wikipedia.org...
What a joke.
Do no harm..???
www.medicalmalpractice.com...

www.resource4surgicalaccidents.com...

No wonder I choose Naturopathic medicine over Allopathic.
I'm not into being sliced and diced, slashed and burned. Over medicated and disposed of like leftovers in a slaughterhouse.
I'll die my way. In the woods..back to the earth. The way nature intended.