Should Euthanasia Be Legalized in the Uk? Essay Example

The word Euthanasia derives from the Greek words Eu and Thanatos which means easy or good death. Euthanasia is is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma[1]. Euthanasia exists in various forms, each one specific in its criteria. Firstly there is active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia involves the use of direct action in order to end the patient’s life whilst passive euthanasia is the withholding of medical aid in order to allow the patient to die naturally such as not performing life-extending surgery or turning off a life support system. The next distinction is between Voluntary and Involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia involves the patient’s termination at their own request whilst involuntary euthanasia occurs when the patient is unable to ably make a decision and therefore a suitable person makes the decision for them. Indirect euthanasia involves treating the patients pain but with the side effect of death, the primary intention is often used to justify the outcome. This is often referred to as the doctrine of double effect and in reality is not considered euthanasia given that the real purpose of the treatment is pain relief and death is merely seen as the side-affect. Finally there is assisted suicide which involves a patient incapable of committing suicide themselves asks for assistance in doing so. Euthanasia is a controversial topic that contradicts the age old moral injunction “thou shalt not kill”[2]. But similarly denying patient’s of this choice is defying medical practice cornerstones such as the patient’s autonomy and promoting their best interests. Different countries hold varying stances on Euthanasia but it is currently illegal in the UK. Most recently the case of Tony Nicklinson, a man totally paralysed by locked-in syndrome requesting euthanasia, has come to the forefront of the debate. Given the right to take his case to