Euthanasia

Euthanasia

As a citizen of America we are all granted certain undeniable rights such as life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. Along with those rights it is debated that the right to die is also protected by those constitutional safeguards. Euthanasia, the refusal or termination of life saving medical treatment has been a highly indignant topic recently. The word euthanasia originated from the Greek term meaning "good death". When a patient is diagnosed with a terminal illness which they will likely not survive they could have the option of a physician assisted suicide by lethal injection or medication. This is not legal in every state but only in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, and Vermont; its status is disputed in Montana. In 1870, Samuel Williams first proposed using anesthetics and morphine to intentionally end a patient's life. Shortly after, debates about euthanasia raged throughout the United States to determine if it was morally correct for a physician or another third party to end ones life by medication or injection.

With time more states are gradually beginning to recognize the benefits of euthanasia. Some of the major advantages include but not limited to, financial benefits, enhanced quality of life in the patients last few moments, and the right of the patient to embrace a timely and dignified death. Euthanasia is not murder and should in no way be deemed as murder. The Hippocratic oath which has been used as a guideline for doctors over time states to "do no harm" which I believe justifies euthanasia. When a patient is suffering from either mental or physical agony doctors could be doing more harm to them by keeping them alive as opposed to ridding them of their suffering by allowing a licensed physician to terminate their life in a peaceful manner. I support the act of euthanasia being legalized and practiced throughout the United States for the reason that it enhances the patients quality of life, financially benefits the families of the patient, and that it simply is the patients right to determine if they desire to end their suffering.

A patients quality of life should be one of the main concerns when dealing with someone who is suffering in their final chapter of life. When someone is in agony due to a terminal illness or physical harm they are in fear not knowing if the pain will keep worsening or when they are going to die. By allowing a patient to choose when and how they are going to reach their death, they are able to live their life to the fullest free from fear, pain or anxiety. Author Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's and began campaigning for an assisted death. Knowing how much pain and discomfort the disease would bring him, he wrote "if I knew that I could die at any time I wanted, then suddenly every day would be as precious as a million pounds. If I knew that I could die, I would live. My life, my death, my choice". If euthanasia was legal in the United States people like Thomas would not have to suffer with the physically and mentally exhausting pain cast upon the unfortunate victims by so many life ending diseases. This should not be viewed as killing the patient, the pain some people endure while fighting a murderous disease is unimaginable. Typical painkillers prescribed to patients in order for them to attempt to cope with the pain is regularly insufficient. The pain will never go away which makes it mentally unbearable for some people knowing that they will never beat the disease. In a way it is morally corrupt for doctors to constantly operate and inject patients with numerous drugs in order to keep them alive just to prolong the misery that the patient has had to suffer until the disease finally kills them. With euthanasia being legalized countless patients would reach their death by choice free of pain and suffering, ultimately enhancing the quality of their final moments.

Most people would find it absurd to consider economics factoring into a life or death decision. I understand that the value of ones life is more important than any amount of money but, the expense to provide and care for a person with a terminal disease or life threatening injury is exorbitant, and constantly putting families and loved ones in debt. According to CNN, one in every four Medicare dollars spent goes to the five percent of beneficiaries in the last year of their life. The upshot of this is often crippling debt for the families of terminally ill patients. the care of a single individual at the end of their life costing an estimated $39,000. For forty percent of households, the bill exceeds their financial assets. It would be more reasonable if end of life care was worth the money and debt. Unfortunately its not, the care is only to sustain the life of the patient until they eventually pass. Besides the fact that end of life care is insanely expensive and burring families into debt, it is remorseless, traumatic, and sickening. With doctors loading patients with narcotics and modern medicine devices in order to slightly prolong the patients near ending life at the cost of destroying the financial well being of the patients family. A woman whose name was kept anonymous was going through end of life treatment in a state that does not conduct euthanasia. Her family discussed