Euthanasia

Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the practice of terminating the life of a person because they are perceived as living ahttp://www.blogger.com/i.g?invID=6937264264295004718&hl=enn intolerable life, in a painless or minimally painful way either by lethal injection, drug overdose, or by the withdrawal of life support. Euthanasia may be active or passive; and, types include physician assisted suicide, voluntary, involuntary and mercy killing. Euthanasia has both legal and ethical ramification.
Euthanasia is a controversial issue which its legality has being argued for years. For illustration, in 1997 U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a case between Washington v. Glucksberg. The question presented in this case is whether Washington’s prohibition against causing or aiding a suicide offends the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The court holds that it does not. Even though, the Due Process Clause protects individuals’ liberty, in addition to freedom protected by Bill of Rights. The protection includes rights to marry, to have children, to direct the education and upbringing of one’s children, to marital privacy, to use contraception, to bodily integrity, and abortion.
Euthanasia is a controversial issue because of conflicting religious and humanist views. There are a number of conflicting beliefs about euthanasia. Different aspects of euthanasia are supported by different people. Some people argue against euthanasia based on the belief that only God should choose when someone dies. However, individuals’ right to autonomy must also be examined. Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political, and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts it refers to the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, uncoerced decision. One can also define autonomy as the right to be self-determined. In medicine, respect for the autonomy of patients is considered obligatory for doctors and other health-care professionals. This ethical principle is also supported legally. The 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) encourages all people to make choices and decisions now about the types and extent of medical care they want to accept or refuse should they become unable to make those decisions due to illness. This is called advance directives. Hence, this law supports individuals’ right to autonomy including right to die.
In summary, euthanasia is one of the ethical-legal dilemmas that the society must address. Although the voice of the supporters for the movement has being soften due to conviction of Dr. Kevorkian, the issue is not about him but upholding and protecting the individuals’ right to autonomy. The Due Process Clause can also be applied, that is right to refuse unwanted lifesaving medical treatment.

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