Right to Die Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Right to Die - Essay Example They are against organizations and people who believe that everyone has an intrinsic right and autonomy to choose life or death under any circumstances especially in the face of emotional and physical suffering. People who choose to end their lives under any circumstances have a choice of being euthanized in hospital settings or seek the help of physicians to commit suicide. Euthanasia is the compassionate killing of an individual painlessly. This service is obtainable for people who have terminal, painful and debilitating diseases or handicaps with death being the only hope for them. People who choose death can choose active euthanasia, refuse life prolonging treatments or choose to be assisted to commit suicide. The governing of these services is through various legal requirements including the patient’s state of mind and reasons why they choose to die. Active euthanasia is the deliberate act by a doctor to end a person’s life by use of lethal medicines; passive eutha nasia is the withdrawal of life saving treatments and nourishment that sustains life. Euthanasia is voluntary and must be requested by the patient orally or through written requests. Immediate family members or people bestowed with power of attorneys by patients may also request for the service if the patient is mentally incapacitated, clinically brain dead, or in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). There is persecution of doctors and physicians who administer euthanasia or assist patients who have chosen death over treatment by some sections of the society even in countries that have legalized euthanasia. Some have had their licenses revoked and further punished by jail terms without the consideration that euthanasia takes place on compassionate grounds. Background People are increasingly choosing to die, when medical conditions become unmanageable and they suffer too much emotional and physical pain. Communication for this choice is through both oral and written requests when one is fully competent. Alternatively, through pre- written wills by competent people who direct that they be put to death in the event that they lose their mental faculty due to disease or accidents. People who write advance directives may give instructions on what should be done in case a disease or accident makes them incompetent. Thus, they can refuse life prolonging treatments using life support machines or request for active euthanasia when their diseases make them incompetent, incapacitated or virtually dependent on people for survival. A person may choose death driven by the hate of helplessness and dependence that makes the quality of life poor. When in this state, many people refuse treatment, food and some attempt suicide where euthanasia is not legal. Where euthanasia is legal, it is often the moral responsibility of the family and patient’s physicians to heed the patients requests, upon meeting all legal requirements in which a person has the right to choose to die. Normally, it is only the patient’s doctors and close family members who may decide if the person’s wish to die has any merit, based on medical prognosis, emotional status, mental competence and degree of physical pain. People against the right to choose death believe that causing death on compassionate