Opposing Euthanasia
Opposing View
Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) both involve the practice of deliberately ending another’s life to put an end to pain and suffering. More often than not these practices are performed by a doctor on a consenting terminal patient. But is this the right thing to do? It wasn’t too long ago when having diabetes or smallpox were considered to be potentially fatal, with no cure or a way to manage either disease. However, with medical breakthroughs, smallpox is nearly nonexistent, and now diabetes can be easily managed. With more medical discoveries like these taking place, isn’t having euthanasia or PAS as an option for patients sending them the message that there is no hope for them so they might as well give up now? Secondly if a law that allowed the practice of euthanasia or PAS to be performed were to be passed letting consenting terminal patients end their lives, it would just be a slippery slope that would create problems down the road to where any one including the handicapped and sick could choose euthanasia and would also give doctors too much power in the process and could start euthanizing people without their consent. The old, sick, and handicapped could be in danger of being involuntarily euthanized in hospitals to make room for other patients who could be cured. That is just one possible outcome; there are also other unforeseen consequences if a euthanasia or PAS law were to be passed. If euthanasia or PAS were to be made legal, it may put pressure on people who are disabled or sick to want to put an end to their own lives so that they are not a burden to their family or loved ones who are taking care of them. A long stay in a hospital is not cheap, and a terminal patient or a handicapped person who needs special assistance may not want to burden their family with large hospital bills and may feel pressured into ending their life. We also hear about how some patients are
Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) both involve the practice of deliberately ending another’s life to put an end to pain and suffering. More often than not these practices are performed by a doctor on a consenting terminal patient. But is this the right thing to do? It wasn’t too long ago when having diabetes or smallpox were considered to be potentially fatal, with no cure or a way to manage either disease. However, with medical breakthroughs, smallpox is nearly nonexistent, and now diabetes can be easily managed. With more medical discoveries like these taking place, isn’t having euthanasia or PAS as an option for patients sending them the message that there is no hope for them so they might as well give up now? Secondly if a law that allowed the practice of euthanasia or PAS to be performed were to be passed letting consenting terminal patients end their lives, it would just be a slippery slope that would create problems down the road to where any one including the handicapped and sick could choose euthanasia and would also give doctors too much power in the process and could start euthanizing people without their consent. The old, sick, and handicapped could be in danger of being involuntarily euthanized in hospitals to make room for other patients who could be cured. That is just one possible outcome; there are also other unforeseen consequences if a euthanasia or PAS law were to be passed. If euthanasia or PAS were to be made legal, it may put pressure on people who are disabled or sick to want to put an end to their own lives so that they are not a burden to their family or loved ones who are taking care of them. A long stay in a hospital is not cheap, and a terminal patient or a handicapped person who needs special assistance may not want to burden their family with large hospital bills and may feel pressured into ending their life. We also hear about how some patients are