EUTHANASIA: ETHICAL METHOD OF SAVING LIVES

A Term Paper

Presented to

Student League for Academic Advancement and Progress

Mindanao State University

Marawi City

In Partial Fulfillments of

the Requirement for the

Application Process, 2nd Phase, 2021-2022

by

Ricardo M. Lumacad Jr.

December 2021
 Euthanasia: Ethical Method Of saving lives

Thesis Statement: Many people believe that physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia

should not be accepted by society for a variety of reasons however, others strongly
believe that it should be accepted by society for a variety of reasons and rational
choices.
Introduction: It is forgone conclusion that an individual, once placed upon this earth
without his consent, ethically has the power and capacity to choose between good life
and good death. Definition
Euthanasia
I. Voluntary Euthanasia
II. Non-Voluntary Euthanasia
III. Involuntary Euthanasia
Countries that Legalize Euthanasia
I. Netherlands
II. Belgium
III. Spain
IV. Relevance to Philippines
There are moral and ethical questions concerning euthanasia.
I. Sacredness of human life

II. Hippocratic Oath

III. Way to relief

Factors positively associated with requesting euthanasia
I. Patient Suffering
II. Financial Stability
III. Patients Age
Conclusion: In a brief conclusion, euthanasia has raised ethical concerns in the
society. However, in a rational way of thinking euthanasia is ethical and humanitarian
act.
 Introduction

The world that we are currently living is full of sacrifices and Mystery, Society is at

its peak waiting for you to come out and play and look at what kind of world we live in

today. It is us the people who inhabit this world will decide when to unlock the mystery

and withstand the sacrifices. Is it possible for a man to have the right to die in addition to

the right to live? Is he, more specifically, entitled to a dignified death? Is the deprivation

of life for merciful reasons an ethical or morally wrong?

Euthanasia, also called mercy killing, act or practice of painlessly putting to

death persons suffering from painful and incurable disease or incapacitating physical

disorder or allowing them to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial

lifesupport measures. In today’s world, in spite of technological and scientific progress,

especially in the field of laws and regulations related to human health there is still

ambiguity and controversy over the concept of peaceful death which is euthanasia.

Euthanasia is one of the issues that has sparked heated debate over the years.

It has been a topic of discussion in human rights circles because it affects ethical and

legal issues concerning patients and health care providers.

This paper aims to discuss euthanasia’s advantages and its ethical method of

saving lives. This term paper is attempted to enlighten the minds and view of the people

on the positive impact of euthanasia into our society. This paper is organized to discuss

and show viewpoints from both sides of the arguments and is concluded with the

writer’s opinion. A case scenario was selected and discussed for better understanding

of this issue of euthanasia

 Definition

Euthanasia

The word ‘euthanasia’ is derived from the Greek word euthanatos meaning

‘easy death’.Generally it is used to describe the process of intentionally terminating a

person’s life to reduce their pain and suffering. Euthanasia is sought not only by those

suffering excruciating pain, but for other reasons such as changes in quality of life

resulting from catastrophic physical injury and psychological factors associated with

incurable diseases.[1]

Euthanasia is often called “mercy killing”. It is intentionally making someone

die, rather than allowing that person to die naturally. It is an act of ending someone’s

life, who is erminally ill, or is suffering in severe pain.[2]

Research on Euthanasia Euthanasia is the procedure of taking another human’s life

typically by the injection of three drugs at the patient's own will to want to die instead of

living with pain from an incurable disease or illness. About 50% of people believe that

Euthanasia is a good thing to have available to their loved ones. The other 50% believe

it’s murder. Euthanasia is the only cure for some diseases and illnesses so imagine

having to sit there watching your loved ones suffer in pain. [3]

Euthanasia’ is often incorrectly characterised as representing one particular

kind of practice. However, it is more accurately understood as an umbrella term which

covers a vast array of practices that can be described as different forms of euthanasia.

1
These include:
I. Voluntary Euthanasia

Voluntary euthanasia refers to a situation in which a patient explicitly expresses a

wish to die while suffering unbearably. Voluntary Euthanasia is a person’s right to die

with dignity rather than continue a life of pain and suffering. I believe that a tremendous

ill patient has the moral right to decide whether they should continue to fit or not.

There’s some illness a person cannot handle even with the best pain reliever, or when

the person lost all the tolerance and control of his or her body.[4]

II. Non-voluntary Euthanasia

Non-voluntary euthanasia occurs when the person is unconscious or otherwise

unable (for example, a very young baby or a person of extremely low intelligence) to

make a meaningful choice between living and dying, and an appropriate person takes

the decision on their behalf.[5]

Non-voluntary euthanasia is euthanasia conducted when the explicit consent of

the individual concerned is unavailable, such as when the person is in a persistent

vegetative state, or in the case of young children.[6]

Rational choices will enter to the Non-Voluntary Euthanasia since it will be

decided by the people surrounds the patient, the person cannot make their wishes

known. We must consider the family, surroundings, and the society in making the

choices of Non- Voluntary Euthanasia.

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III. Involuntary Euthanasia

Involuntary Euthanasia- without the consent of the patient, for example, if the

patient is unconscious and his or her wishes are unknown. Some ethicists distinguish

between “involuntary” (against the patient’s wishes) and “nonvoluntary” (without the

patient’s consent but wishes are unknown) forms. Involuntary euthanasia occurs when

euthanasia is performed on a person who would be able to provide informed consent,

but does not, either because they do not want to die, or because they were not asked.

Involuntary euthanasia is contrasted with voluntary euthanasia.

The person wants to live but is killed anyway. This is usually murder or act of

mercy. Consider the following example. A soldier has their stomach blown open by a

shell burst. They are in great pain and screaming in agony. They beg the army doctor to

save their life. The doctor knows that they will die in 10 minutes whatever happens. As

he has no painkilling drugs with him the doctor decided to spare the soldier’s further

pain and shoots them dead.

A person is seen at a 10th floor window of a burning building. Their clothes are

on fire and fire brigade has not yet arrived. The person is screaming for help. A

passerby nearby realizes that within seconds the person will suffer an agonizing death

from burns. He has a rifle with him and shoots the screaming person dead. [8]

Countries that legalize Euthanasia

3
I. Netherlands

Historically, the Netherlands was the first European country to decriminalize

euthanasia and assisted suicide by a law passed in 2001. The number of individuals

who have been euthanized has grown steadily every year, constituting a worrisome

cultural shift, which is especially troubling for the most vulnerable in society. Euthanasia

has been legal in the Netherlands for over 15 years, since the April 12, 2001 law was

passed, and came into vigor on April 1, 2002. Historically, the Netherlands was the first

European country to authorize euthanasia. Since legalization, euthanasia has more than

tripled.

Even though the precise conditions established by law have not changed

“strictosensu”, their very extensive interpretation has created increasingly disputable

situations. For example euthanasia on people with psychiatric disorders, dementia,

those who are very old, or those suffering from several pathologies, has nothing to do

with the initially established legal requirements. Other opinions are being voiced, notably

by some doctors who deplore that euthanasia has been trivialized.

While some denounce the infringements of the law, others wish to broaden the

conditions of access to euthanasia and the practices. Parliament is being pressured to

allow assisted suicide for people over age 70 requesting it, with no other motive but their

age and “being tired of life”. Thus, the association “By Free Will” (Uit vrije will) organized

a citizen’s initiative petition early in 2010, in order to force a Parliamentary debate. A

draft bill tabled by the government in October 2016 is currently being studied.[9]

4
II. Belgium

May 28, 2017 marked the 15th anniversary of the law legalizing euthanasia in

Belgium. According to the official data from their Federal Control Commission,

euthanasia was performed on 14,753 individuals between 2002 and 2016.

In 2002 Belgium decriminalized euthanasia for adults. By 2014, the law was extended to

minors without specifying an age limit. For the past 15 years, the number of euthanasia

cases has continued to sharply increase. Various modifications of the law have

extended and facilitated euthanasia.

Several multi-faceted instances of abuse in interpreting and applying the law

have been revealed by the available data. Numerous clandestine euthanasia cases

continue to be practiced; the criteria to be respected have been incrementally subjected

to broader interpretation (especially concerning the nature of “constant, unbearable

and unrelievable physical or mental suffering”); as well as: the controversial role of the

Federal Control Commission, the progression toward highly publicized assisted suicide

cases; organ procurement after euthanasia; plus the pressure to eliminate the

conscience clause, etc.

Especially in the Dutch-speaking regions, mentalities are rapidly evolving

towards trivializing euthanasia, in the name of human autonomy and “one’s freedom to

choose in favor of one’s own life or death”, via an Anglo-Saxon utilitarian perspective of

life. Euthanasia is progressively being considered as a right that one can claim for

oneself or loved ones, even if the prerequisite conditions are obviously not met.[10]

5
III. Spain

Spain has passed a law to legalise euthanasia, becoming the fourth country in

Europe to allow people to end their own life in some circumstances. Spain's lower house

of parliament approved the law with support from centre and left-wing parties on

Thursday.

Lawmakers from the Spanish parliament's lower house passed the law, with 202

votes in favour, 141 against and two abstentions.

Spain's minority coalition government, which is led by Mr Sanchez's Socialist Party, had

to seek the support of other parties to pass the bill. "Today is an important day: we are

heading towards the recognition of human rights. We are heading towards a more

humane and fair society," Health Minister Carolina Darias told lawmakers.

The law allows adults with "serious and incurable" diseases that cause

"unbearable suffering" to choose to end their lives. It is expected to take effect in June.

Before the law's passage, helping somebody to die in Spain was potentially punishable

by a jail term of up to 10 years. The Spanish law permits two voluntary means of

allowing a person to end their own life: euthanasia and assisted suicide. Euthanasia is

the act of intentionally ending a life to relieve suffering - for example a lethal injection

administered by a doctor. In cases of assisted suicide, the act is undertaken by the

person themselves with help "Today we have become a country that is more humane,

fairer and freer," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez tweeted just minutes after the

vote. "The euthanasia law, widely demanded by society, has finally become a reality.

"The passage of the law was celebrated by right-to-die campaigners. .[11]

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IV. Relevance to Philippines

The Philippine Senate was considering a controversial bill that could make the

staunchly Catholic country the first in the world to legalize euthanasia. Euthanasia is

illegal in the Philippines. In 1997, the Philippine Senate considered passing a bill

legalizing passive euthanasia. The bill–part of a 16-point bill of patients' rights–has

already undergone its first reading, and the second reading will start after the Senate

session resumes in late July. It must pass three readings with a two thirds majority and

then be ratified by President Fidel Ramos before it can be incorporated into law. Senate

health committee secretary John Basa said: “It is proposing the legalisation of passive,

rather than active, euthanasia–but obviously it is still very contentious. It would make us

the first country in the world to legalize so called mercy killing.” He added: “If it becomes

law, this bill will make a big difference to doctors here. At the moment, if they help a

patient to die, they can be charged with malpractice and are liable to imprisonment.”

However, the bill's chances of success in its current form may be slim. Its biggest

stumbling block is the Catholic church, which has enormous power in the 85% Catholic

country.[12]

There are moral and ethical questions concerning euthanasia

7
I. Sacredness of human life

Most people think life is valuable. Christians however feel that life Is sacred.

Sacred means that they think it is a special, given and Holy thing. The reason they think

that its sacred it because the Bible Says how all life is a gift form God. God created us

all unique and he Decided everything that will happen to us, nothing was an accident,

Therefore life must be looked after and used how god intended.Life is a responsibility

and we should treat any kind of it Respectfully otherwise we are destroying God’s

creation and so we must Value life highly, and also live it accordingly to God’s will.

People need to live their life until they die of a natural cause to Find what god has

planned for them. Christians try to model themselves to be like Jesus, to care for

Everyone and to try to be active in helping others improve their Quality of life.Most

Christians believe that god created human life and the rest of The world. Genesis 1:26-7

(creation) Then god said, ‘let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let Them

rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the air, over the Livestock, over all the earth

and over all creatures that move along The ground.’

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of

the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the

foundation of all the principles of our social teaching.

The supporters of euthanasia maintain that they believe in the basic sanctity and dignity

of life and argue that ending the suffering of terminally ill patients at their request is

actually a move which respects sanctity of life. On the other hand death with dignity, as

opposed to a life of pain and suffering, is more humane. [13]

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II. Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath (Ορκος) is perhaps the most widely known of Greek

medical texts. It requires a new physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that

he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards. It also strongly binds the

student to his teacher and the greater community of physicians with responsibilities

similar to that of a family member. In fact, the creation of the Oath may have marked the

early stages of medical training to those outside the first families of Hippocratic

medicine, the Asclepiads of Kos, by requiring strict loyalty.

Over the centuries, it has been rewritten often in order to suit the values of

different cultures influenced by Greek medicine. Contrary to popular belief, the

Hippocratic Oath is not required by most modern medical schools, although some have

adopted modern versions that suit many in the profession in the 21st century. It also

does not explicitly contain the phrase, "First, do no harm," which is commonly attributed

to it.[14]

First, do no harm. Medical students have been taking this vow since Hippocrates

came up with it in ancient Greece in the fifth century B.C. It is universally acknowledged

to be the foundation of Western medicine. But the Hippocratic oath isn’t as black or

white as it once seemed.

Nowadays, people are living longer than ever — with diseases that Hippocrates

could never have imagined — and in circumstances in which a doctor could end their

suffering. For more than a century, some American physicians have been arguing for a

patient’s right to choose death, and for doctors to be able to assist in the process.”

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III. Way to relief

The advancement of the technology and euthanasia is a blessing to the

terminally ill, especially to those who are suffering from excruciating pain. With the

betterment of drugs and the increase of knowledge about pain mechanism, physicians

today can relatively easily and safely eliminate pain physicians in the last century found

most recalcitrant. It has even been argued that with the perfection of pain control,

euthanasia should be made history. Indeed, it would seem that to eliminate the

excruciating pain often had by the terminally ill, the patients need not go to such

extremes of ending one’s life well before natural death takes its toll. With the elimination

of pain, the quality of the patient’s life can be significantly improved. This would certainly

undermine, some believe, one of the greatest motivations for euthanasia.

Advocates of active euthanasia argue that killing the patients in question is not

worse than letting them die. Advocates of voluntary euthanasia often claim that patients

should have the right to do what they want with their own lives. Advocates of mercy

killing argue that for patients who are in vegetative states with no prospect of recovery,

letting them die prevents future needless and futile treatment efforts. If they are

suffering then killing them prevents further suffering

Many terminally ill patients who are in the final stages of their lives have

requested doctors to aid them in exercising active euthanasia. It is sad to realize that

these people are in great agony and that to them the only hope of bringing that agony to

a halt is through assisted suicide.

Factors positively associated with requesting euthanasia

10
I.Unbearable suffering of patient

Unbearable suffering is considered an important motive for patients requesting

euthanasia, the presence of unbearable suffering, as assessed by a physician, is a

central criterion for EAS in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Further

compulsory criteria to legally allow EAS include a voluntary and well considered request

for EAS, prospect-less suffering, absence of reasonable treatment options and

consultation with an independent physician.

Many patients experience pain and suffering when they are dying, that is true,

and during a doctors clinical experience they have seen many dying patients who at

their end stage illness were in pain, and they may be treated without dignity, or

experiencing spiritual disorders.

A person has the right to live and it is much seen morally right to give a person

the right to die with dignity rather than continue a life of pain and suffering. I believe that

a tremendous ill patient has the moral right to decide whether they should continue to fit

or not. There’s some illness a person cannot handle even with the best pain reliever, or

when the person lost all the tolerance and control of his or her body.

11
II. Financial Stability

Ethnological studies show that the care which societies are able to provide for

their old people depends largely on available resources. However, the concept of

resource depends on contemporary requirements and expectations. Modern families

still try to look after their old people, but increasing longevity is making this more

difficult. There is a finite ability of populations, however wealthy, to support dependent

members. Resources provided to look after old people must necessarily be subtracted

from those available for the other, still more important dependent group, the children,

with potentially disastrous results in underfunding of social support and education. The

sociobiological theory of inclusive fitness emphasizes the importance of the ways in

which family members interact to help each other and try to ensure their genetic

survival, even if this involves sacrificing their own interests and occasionally, their lives.

Many old people do not wish for further longevity after they have become too disabled

to be of service to their families, and would prefer to see limited resources being used

for the young.[15]

12
III. Psychiatric Disorder or Dementia

Euthanasia for people who are not terminally ill, such as those suffering from

psychiatric disorders or dementia, is legal in Belgium under strict conditions but remains

a controversial practice. As yet, the prevalence of euthanasia for people with psychiatric

disorders or dementia has not been studied and little is known about the characteristics

of the practice. This study aims to report on the trends in prevalence and number of

euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis in Belgium and

demographic, clinical and decision-making characteristics of these cases. While

euthanasia on the grounds of unbearable suffering caused by a psychiatric disorder or

dementia remains a comparatively limited practice in Belgium, its prevalence has risen

since 2008. If, as this study suggests, people with psychiatric conditions or dementia are

increasingly seeking access to euthanasia, we are fighting our own battles in life, we

seek comfort in the form of Euthanasia. [16]

13
 Conclusion

We have introduced some ethical issue of euthanasia and address them in the

favor of Euthanasia as an ethical method of saving lives. Dying is at once a fact of life,

Death comes to all, in all aspects and circumstances. Euthanasia gives the member of

society a freedom to live life and end it in accordance to their favor.

Meditating on your mortality is only depressing if you miss the point. It is in fact a

tool to create priority and meaning. It’s a tool that generations have used to create real

perspective and urgency. To treat our time as a gift and not waste it on the trivial and

vain. Death doesn’t make life pointless but rather purposeful. And fortunately, we don’t

have to nearly die to tap into this. A simple reminder can bring us closer to living the life

we want. It doesn’t matter who you are or how many things you have left to be done, a

car can hit you in an intersection and drive your teeth back into your skull. That’s it. It

could all be over. Today, tomorrow, someday soon.

The ancient practice of reflection on our mortality that goes back to Socrates,

who said that the proper practice of philosophy is “about nothing else but dying and

being dead.” Memento mori” doesn’t just mean “Remember you will die, it also means

Remember how you will die because the conditions of your own death are just as

important as the conditions of your life. This is also why the Greek word euthanasia

refers to “eu”(Good) and “Thanatos”( Death) so the sacredness of life is not just

treasuring the good life but also giving a good death.

14
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[8] Bert, Jhon H. “Involuntary vs Non Voluntary Euthanasiawhat Is Corned Beef Hash.”

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