Should we allow voluntary euthanasia?

The points that are generally given in favor of permitting voluntary euthanasia are:-

1. In the present world, it will be logical to allow voluntary euthanasia. Despite the significant advancements made by the medical science, still there are several diseases that are not curable. Therefore in these cases, voluntary euthanasia should be allowed so that these people may end their suffering. In the same way, voluntary euthanasia should also be allowed in case of the criminals of war crimes. If these persons want to end their life, the state should allow them to do so because the state has to make considerable expenditure for keeping them in prisons.

2. When the right to live has been granted to all the people, this right should also include the right to end the life when a person thinks that living anymore is not viable, may be due to a serious and incurable disease. Therefore, as the right has been provided to all the persons to live according to their will, a right should also be available to the people that they can end their life whenever they want to. The right to life also implies that the decisions regarding euthanasia should be left to the individuals completely. Even when the right to euthanasia has been granted to the individuals, it should not be limited to a particular scenario only where a person can opt for euthanasia. If a person with sane mind has made a decision regarding voluntary euthanasia, such a decision should be respected by the law and the State. With every right, comes a choice. For example, the right to speech does not mean that the right to remain silent is not available anymore. Therefore with the right to life, it is also the right of the people to take away their life when they don’t want to live anymore.

3. Voluntary euthanasia should be particularly allowed to the persons who are facing an incurable disease. Therefore when a person is undergoing the gradual failure of all parts of the body and is alive only on artificial support, such a person should be allowed to end their life. Sometimes, as a result of the disease, the mind of the person also loses its ability and therefore the person is not aware of the things going around him or her. Even when this is not the case, a large number of medicines may have to be given to the patient due to which the patient becomes delirious. Under these circumstances, it is certainly more preferable to allow these persons to end their life so long as they have the mental capacity to make this decision.

4. Although, it is accepted by the society that taking away one’s own life is an unfortunate decision but under certain circumstances, this decision can be acceptable. Therefore, the persons who decided to end their life under these circumstances should not be considered as unlawful or evil. Similarly, it will also be cruel to deny these persons a chance to take help in ending their life if they are unable to do so themselves when the circumstances are such that taking away their own life is justifiable. This right should not be taken away from the people only due to the reason that owing to some infirmity, a person is not capable of taking away his or her own life.

5. There is a difference between voluntary euthanasia and suicide. While suicide is a desperate act and is generally carried out when the call for help of such a person is not answered by the society. But the impact of this act on the family members who are left behind can be very devastating. On the other hand if voluntary euthanasia is allowed by the law, the society can become aware of the problems faced by such a person. There are many cases where even the family members are not fully aware of the hardships faced by a person. There is also a possibility that the members of the family may talk freely regarding this issue with the patient and such a person may be dissuaded from ending his or her life. On the other hand, such a decision may also allow the family members to know the real reasons behind such a decision taken by the patient. Therefore they can be fully aware of the reasons behind this step and there will be no feeling of guilt on part of the family members because they have openly discussed the issue with the patient.

6. Sometimes, the doctors also have to face a dilemma. Many times, the doctors want to provide the best quality of life to their patients however when the patient is suffering from too much pain or has lost the ability to live with dignity and under these circumstances, the patient does not want to live anymore, the doctor is really helpless because the law does not allow the doctor to help such a patient. Despite all the advancements in medicine, the pain and suffering associated with some diseases is still present. Even if the medicines can take care of the physical pain, the patients may still have to undergo the agony of an impending death due to which they are no longer capable of living their life. In the same way, it is the duty of the doctors to alleviate the pain and suffering of their patients. In this way, a right should be provided to the doctors to help their patients in ending their lives if they feel it appropriate in some cases. Even if voluntary euthanasia is not allowed by the law, still it is taking place. Therefore it will be better if this right is provided to the doctors who are in a better position to make this decision. In this way, this sensitive issue can also be regulated properly.
Points against voluntary euthanasia

However there are many persons who believe that voluntary euthanasia should not be allowed by the law. These persons claim that:-

1. The power to give and take away the life remains with the God. It was God who had created the man and therefore, he alone should have the power to take away life out of a person. Life is always not a bed of roses and there is a lot of suffering but this suffering is also a test designed by the God. After successfully owing to suffering, the God rewards us therefore it is very important that we should be patient and allow our lives to be run by God.

2. The right to life does not include a right to end the life. The reason is that as compared to other rights, the right to life is different. For example, in case of the right to speech, a person has a right to remain silent however such a person can speak at any time later on but this is not the case with the right to life. If the person has decided to take away his or her life, this decision cannot be changed once the step has been taken. In the same way, when one person helps another person in taking away his or her life, such person is depriving the other person from changing his decision later on. As a result it is immoral to allow one person to assist the other person in this matter.

3. As a result of the developments made by the modern medicine, it has helped the patients in maintaining their quality of life as far as possible. Therefore, the terminally ill patients are no longer required to suffer pain. It is always wrong to give up hope. Even though, some of the terminally ill patients may have to face a lot of problems in the future but it will be wrong for the society to deny its role and do nothing for helping these patients. For example, counseling can be provided to these patients that may allow them to face the realities and also the problems associated with their life. In this way, the society will be failing in its duty towards these patients if it allows them to end their life.

4. Although, it is correct that the persons committing suicide are not bad and in the same way, the people who try to take their own life are not offenders but it is the moral duty of every person to stop the other person who is trying to take away his own life. No sensible person will ignore another man who is ready to jump from a bridge because it is the moral responsibility of all of us to try to prevent a person from taking away his life. How can we justify if such person not only allows the other person to end his life but helps him in doing so by pushing the person from the bridge. The same logic applies in case of the terminally ill patients. How can we allow these persons to take away their life and moreover, how anybody can be allowed to help these persons in taking away their life.

5. It also needs to be noted in this regard that pain and suffering are a part of life. Medicines are available today that can help in improving the quality of life of even terminally ill persons and they can also make the death of the patient as convenient as possible. Therefore, even if a person remains under the influence of sedatives most of the time, this does not mean that the person is not alive. According to the medical science, the person is still alive and therefore it is the obligation of the society to allow such a person to live his or her life until the nature decides to end the life. On the other hand, if we decide to end the life of such a person, it also amounts to killing the person, even if the person has been suffering seriously. In the same way, when the family members of the patient are told about the decision made by the person regarding voluntary euthanasia, it may put the pressure on the family members who are already burdened by the illness of the patient. It is very natural that most of the family members will not be ready to accept the decisions regarding voluntary euthanasia made by the patient. But some of the family members may be shocked to hear this decision; the others may not even like to be a part of such a decision in which they have to be involved in the death of their relative. There is another risk that in some cases the persons who are posed to support the patient may put pressure on the patient to make a decision regarding voluntary euthanasia because they want to get rid of their responsibility to support the patient.

6. According to the medical ethics, a doctor is not allowed to cause harm to his or her patience under any circumstances. Therefore, a doctor cannot even think of causing any harm to his patients voluntarily. On the other hand if the doctors are allowed to assist their patients in ending their life, it is highly likely that the noble profession of medicine will lose its grace and the trust that is imposed on doctors by the people. At the same time, undue burden will also be placed on the doctors if the law allows them to take part in assisted suicide. In this way, already there is a great responsibility on the doctors to make decisions to save the life of their patients, therefore it will be unjust for the doctors to also impose a responsibility on them to decide which patient can be allowed to die and efforts should be made to save which patient. Probably this is the reason where most of the doctors are against the legalization of voluntary euthanasia as helping a patient in ending his life is against the basic tenets of medical profession.