Transcript Euthanasia: Right to die? Antanas Urbonas, Health Law and Bioethics

Euthanasia:
Right to die?
Antanas Urbonas,
Health Law and Bioethics
"A gentle and easy death...The means of bringing about
a gentle and easy death...”
In recent use: The action of inducing a gentle and easy
death. Used esp. with reference to a proposal that the
law should sanction the putting painlessly to death of
those suffering from incurable and extremely painful
diseases."
The Oxford English Dictionary Online
"Euthanasia has many definitions. The Pro-Life Alliance
defines it as: 'Any action or omission intended to end
the life of a patient on the grounds that his or her life is
not worth living.' The Voluntary Euthanasia Society
looks to the word's Greek origins - 'eu' and 'thanatos,'
which together mean 'a good death' - and say a modern
definition is: 'A good death brought about by a doctor
providing drugs or an injection to bring a peaceful end
to the dying process.' Three classes of euthanasia can
be identified -- passive euthanasia, physician-assisted
suicide and active euthanasia -- although not all groups
would acknowledge them as valid terms.“
BBC News stated in its July 1, 1999 special report titled "A Euthanasia
Glossary"
"Strictly speaking, the term 'euthanasia' refers to actions
or omissions that result in the death of a person who
is already gravely ill. Techniques of active euthanasia
range from gunfire to lethal injection, while passive
euthanasia can be achieved by failing to treat a
pneumonia or by witholding or withdrawing ventilatory
support."
Jonathan Moreno, PhD, wrote in his 1995
book Arguing Euthanasia: The Controversy Over Mercy
Killing, Assisted Suicide, and the "Right to Die":
problem
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Euthanasia is divided into passive known as ortotanazja and
active as murder with compassion. Euthanasia is also
misleadingly called the extermination frequented and
compared by people with disabilities by Nazis during World
War II
Admissibility of euthanasia is a difficult issue Ethics. It has
both supporters and opponents. The conflict comes because
of different value systems, which shall be guided by both
sides (Pro life supporters and pro choise supporters).
Opponents of euthanasia consider life as sacred gift from
God (mainly active opponents of euthanasia), or consider it
to be the highest value. Supporters of the claim that it is
important to respect the will of the patient, shield him from
suffering, and his right to dignity within the meaning of what
he accepts.
Euthanasia – a new problem
for the first time problem of euthanasia is
raised as an issue in the Netherlands as part
of the public in 1973. The doctor helps his
mother to death, society looks favorably. This
creates a precedent for active euthanasia in
the Netherlands.
 In the U.S. First passive euthanasia case was
in 1974.
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Regulations in the world
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Euthanasia is legalized in Netherlands (2001), Belgium,
Luxembourg (including sick children), Albania, Japan and the U.S.
states Texas and Oregon And until recently also in Australia
Northern Territory (Australian court has ruled that this issue is
only for federal and overturned the legality of euthanasia). Passive
Euthanasia is legal in Ireland and in some regions of Mexico.
Special form of euthanasia is allowed in Switzerland Where one
can prescribe a lethal dose of sleeping pills, but the patient must
accept it yourself. It`s private buissiness assisted dying company
called ‘Dignitas’
In other countries, euthanasia is not allowed and punishable as
murder or simply a milder.
Euthanasia in Netherlands (1)
The Dutch law allows euthanasia only if all are met the
following conditions:
- patient's suffering is unbearable with no prospect of
improvement in the status of the patient
- request by the patient euthanasia must be voluntary
and should be kept to a predetermined time, can not
be met if the person is under the influence of drugs,
suffering from a mental illness or have been
influenced by other people
- the patient must be fully aware of their health status,
prognosis and asserting their rights
Euthanasia in Netherlands (2)
- to be consulted with at least one independent doctor,
who must confirm the patient's health status and
conditions referred to above
- Euthanasia must be carried out in a medically
appropriate way by the doctor or patient in the
presence of a physician
- you must be at least 12 years (patients aged 12 to 16
years old must obtain parental consent)
- Dutch legislation recognizes the validity of the will of
the patient's written statement. Such declaration may
be used when the patient will be in a coma or in
another state, which makes it impossible to agree to
euthanasia.
- Only legalized in 2001, but practise is way earlier.
Euthanasia in Luxembourg
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In Luxembourg February 20 2008 Luxembourg, the
Parliament adopted by a majority of 30 of the 59 votes
in a law legalizing shortening life seriously ill persons
upon request. It entered into force after the second
ballot in March 2009 . The bill was strongly criticized by
the Catholic Church (which have a large impact on
society Luxembourg), most of the medical and the ruling
Christian Social Party. According to the draft decision on
euthanasia can only be taken provided that the patient
is seriously and terminally ill. Decide on euthanasia can
be taken include writing down a will
Euthanasia in Belgium
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Belgian parliament Belgium passed a law
legalizing euthanasia in September 2002 year.
Euthanasia in Albania
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Albania was the first country Europe that legalized
euthanasia - has been the case in 1999 year
under amendments to the Law on the Rights of
the terminally ill. It legalizes any form of active
euthanasia, with the consent of the patient.
Passive euthanasia is permissible with the
consent of three members of the family of the sick
person. Albanian legislation on euthanasia, is
criticized by Catholic Church and some
environments Pro-life.
Euthanasia in Australia
 Euthanasia is now illegal in Australia. It was
once legal in the Northern Territory, by
the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. In
1997, the Australian Federal Government
overrode the Northern Territory legislation
through the introduction of the Euthanasia
Laws Act 1997.
Euthanasia in Ireland
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it is illegal for a doctor (or anyone)
to actively contribute to someone's death. It is
not, however, illegal to remove life support and
other treatment (the "right to die") should a
person (or their next of kin) request it - in other
words, passive euthanasia is legal. A
September 2010 Irish Times poll showed that a
majority, 57% of adults, believed that doctorassisted suicide should be legal for terminally
ill patients who request it
Cases (1)
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Karen Ann Quinlan collapsed on April 15th, 1975. She
was twenty-one years old. Within hours, she entered a
coma from which she could never recover. Her
parents, staunch Roman Catholics, knew their
daughter would not want to be kept alive by
extraordinary means. A year later, as Karen lay in a
"persistent vegetative state," the courts finally allowed
her treatment to be stopped; but artificial feeding was
continued and she was maintained as a living corpse
until June 1985, when she eventually died of
pneumonia. Her case spurred thousands of letters of
sympathy and fuelled the "right to die" movement.
Karen before the accident
Cases (2)
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Nancy Cruzan lost control of her car one day in January 1983 in
Missouri. When the paramedics arrived, they were able to
restore her breathing and heartbeat and she was transported,
unconscious, to hospital. She continued to be fed through a
surgically- implanted tube. After several years, a court found
that, although her respiration and circulation continued
unaided, she was oblivious to her surroundings except for
reflexive responses to sound; her brain had degenerated,
irreversibly; she suffered irreversible muscle and tendon
damage; and had no cognitive or reflex ability to swallow food
or water or to maintain her essential daily needs nor would she
ever recover such an ability. She lay in persistent vegetative
state even though she had told her housemate that, if sick or
injured, she would not wish to continue her life unless she
could live "at least halfway normal." This was the first time the
U.S. Supreme Court had been faced with what we call the "right
to die." She had not made a living will, and the court case
paved the way for a uniform, national Patient SelfDetermination Act that regulated living wills and made them
more widely available.
Book about Nancy Cruzan case
Situation for society approval
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For example, Export model of euthanasia
of the Netherlands without the
imposition would be a big mistake. One of the
reasons why it works so well in Netherlands is
the high standard of medical care and trust
in doctors. A large proportion
of primary medical care is done
by family physicians in the Netherlands. Many
people visit the same doctor for many years,
and between doctors and patients
develop strong long term relationships of
trust. Therefore, even before the consolidation
of euthanasia this has been popular for a while
Ethical and legal issues of euthanasia
1. Especially
difficult situation - seriously ill teenagers will to die. In
society teenager is treated as ’nether a child nor an
adult’, so no one knows he or she reasonably able
to decide. Should teenagers decide or parents?
2. Legalizing euthanasia in the Netherlands raised the debate on
this issue. It was originally intended to make a decision to
allow 12 years of age for decide for themselfs , regardless of
parents' opinions. The "too low public support" raised this age
to 16 years.
3. How about people, who was unconscious always during the
treatment? Comatose state located? (the most
common passive euthanasia cases in the U.S.)
4. How about Alzheimer's disease or
other disabling mental illness sufferers?
The End
Thanks for attention