The question of voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill has long been a contentious one on an international scale. Should we give people complete individual bodily autonomy?
Currently we don't allow euthanasia - this has led to controversial legal cases like assisted suicide.
Pros:
- Provides dignity in death
- A way to relieve extreme pain
- Frees up resources on palliative care for other patients
- It provides people with their rights to decide what happens to their body
- It means there is no pressure for family members to assist with their suicide; it's regulated
Cons:
- It commodifies human life
- Places pressure on people to die, and reduce burden on the medical system
- There is a "slippery slope" effect that has occurred where euthanasia has been first been legalized for only
the terminally ill and later laws are changed to allow it for other people or to be done non-voluntarily.
- It goes against the doctor's hippocratic oath
Read More
www.euthanasia.com/page7.html www.smh.com.au/national/pm-open-to-debate-on-legalising-euthanasia-20100919-15hxz.htmlIt is proposed that the Government should regulate, and legalise euthanasia for the terminally ill.