Euthanasia

Good Death

Dr. Jack Kevorkian hooked up Alzheimer’s patient Janet Adkins to his thanatron on June 4, 1990 and watched her press the button that injected lethal poison into her and killed her.  She had been diagnosed as being in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease.  Alzheimer’s is a slowly progressive disease of the brain that results in death.  People with this particular disease lose their memory and control over their body.  In the later stages of this disease, a person may become completely unable to take care of their self.  If Janet had not received the painless help from Dr. Kevorkian she would have been forced to unwillingly live he rest of her life suffering. 

Euthanasia should be legal because it ends the suffering of terminally ill patients and gives all people the right to die.  Wesley Smith explains, ”The word ‘euthanasia’ is translated from Greek as ‘good death’” (Smith 1).  There are two strong opinions surrounding legalized euthanasia. One side believes that intentionally ending the life of a person, even someone suffering from a terminal condition, is murder and any physician involved is in violation of the Hippocratic Oath.  Joe Messerli explains, “The Hippocratic Oath, says among other things, ‘First, do no harm’” (Joe Messerli 1).  The other side argues that to end the suffering of a terminally ill patient is humane, the ultimate expression of compassion, and should be legalized. Legalizing euthanasia continues to spark controversy among doctors and many other people around the world.  This topic is not very closely discussed until the problem of terminal illness appears in a person’s life. 

     When evaluating whether euthanasia should be legalized, people must have compassion for the suffering.  Euthanasia should not be denied to a person who seeks relief from excruciating pain.  Many people who seek euthanasia are diagnosed with a terminal disease causing them pain both physically and emotionally.  People sometimes lose control over most of their body making it extremely difficult to do simple everyday tasks.  This physical pain affects them mentally in a sense that they know they are dying and there is nothing they can do about it.

     On the opposing side, Jay Johansen says, “I have heard anecdotal stories that elderly people in the Netherlands are now afraid to check into hospitals, for fear they will be killed” (Johansen 1).  He believes that a hospital is a place where people go in seek of help and trust that their doctors to do what it best for them.  While this may be true, if a doctor is supposed to do what is best for the patient then by ending their suffering the doctor is doing the correct thing.   Patients go to hospitals for help and help is doing what the patient desires even if that includes euthanasia.