EUTHANASIA

(MERCY KILLING, ASSISTED SUICIDE)

The painless killing of a patient suffering

from an incurable,
and painful disease or in an irreversible
coma.
PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE IS THE ACT IN WHICH A PHYSICIAN PROVIDES
THE MEAN FOR SUICIDE OF THE INCURABLY ILL, THE PATIENT MUST TAKE THE FINAL ACTION
THAT CAUSES HIS/HER DEATH SUCH AS SWALLOWING LETHAL DRUGS.

THE WORD EUTHANASIA ORIGINATE

FROM THE “GREEK” WORD EU-THANATOS.

(EU- MEANS GOOD AND THANATOS MEANS DEATH)

ACCORDING TO WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION THE EUTHANASIA MEANS “DELIBERATE AND

INTENTIONAL ACTION”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EUTHANASIA
• I’LL GIVE NO DEADLY MEDICINE TO ANY ONE IF ASKED, NOR
SUGGEST ANY SUCH COUNSEL (HIPPOCRATES FATHER OF
MODERN MEDICINE “400 B.C”)
• I’LL NOT GIVE A LETHAL DRUGS TO ANYONE IF I AM ASKED,
NOR WILL I ADVISE SUCH A PLAN. (HIPPOCRATIC OATH)
• IN THE 1300S , SUICIDE AS WELL AS HELPING PEOPLE TO KILL
THEMSELVES WERE CONSIDERED AS A CRIMINAL ACT.
• IN THE 1930S EUTHANASIA WAS PRACTICED FOR THE FIRST
TIME BY GERMAN PHYSICIANS.
• IN THE 20TH CENTURY, LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS WERE FORMED
TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS REGARDING EUTHANASIA.
REASONS FOR EUTHANASIA

• ADVANCED TERMINAL ILLNESS THAT

IS CAUSING UNBEARABLE SUFFERING.
• GRAVE PHYSICAL HANDICAP WHICH IS
SO RESTRICTING.
 TYPES OF
EUTHANASIA
THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF EUTHANASIA

1. VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA
2. INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA
3. NON-VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA
 1. VOLUNTARY
EUTHANASIA
1. EUTHANASIA PERFORMED WITH THE PATIENT'S CONSENT IS
CALLED VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA.

2. VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA IS THE PRACTICE OF ENDING A LIFE IN A

PAINLESS MANNER. 

3. VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA IS AT THE REQUEST OF A FULLY

COMPETENT PERSON WHO WISHES TO DIE.
 2. INVOLUNTARY
EUTHANASIA
1. WHICH PERFORMED ON A PATIENT AGAINST THEIR WILL.

2. INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA OCCURS WHEN EUTHANASIA IS

PERFORMED ON A PERSON WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE
INFORMED CONSENT.

3. INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA OCCURS WHEN A DYING PERSON

COULD HAVE BEEN
BUT WAS NOT ASKED FOR THEIR CONSENT.
 3. NON-VOLUNTARY
EUTHANASIA

1. WHERE THE PATIENT IS UNABLE TO GIVE THEIR INFORMED

CONSENT

2. NON-VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA IS EUTHANASIA CONDUCTED

WHEN THE EXPLICIT CONSENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED IS
UNAVAILABLE.

3. NON-VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA TAKES PLACE WHEN A PERSON IS

UNABLE TO
CONSENT DUE TO AGE, PHYSICAL AND/OR MENTAL INCAPACITY.
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN VOLUNTARY,
INVOLUNTARY AND NON
VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA?

VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA: WHEN THE PERSON WHO IS KILLED HAS

REQUESTED TO BE KILLED.
NON-VOLUNTARY: WHEN THE PERSON WHO IS KILLED MADE NO
REQUEST AND GAVE NO CONSENT.
INVOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA: WHEN THE PERSON WHO IS KILLED
MADE AN EXPRESSED WISH TO THE CONTRARY.
 EUTHANASIA CAN BE ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE

1. ACTIVE EUTHANASIA:  ACTIVE EUTHANASIA DESCRIBES CASES

WHERE AN ACTION IS PERFORMED WITH THE INTENTION OF CAUSING
DEATH. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE GIVING A LETHAL INJECTION.
THIS IS CURRENTLY ILLEGAL IN THE U.K.

2. PASSIVE EUTHANASIA:  PASSIVE EUTHANASIA DESCRIBES CASES

WHERE DEATH IS INTENTIONALLY CAUSED BY INACTION. AN EXAMPLE OF
THIS WOULD BE WITHDRAWING OR WITHHOLDING ARTIFICIAL NUTRITION
OR HYDRATION OR THE USE OF A VENTILATOR.
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
PASSIVE AND ACTIVE EUTHANASIA?

THE MORAL DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN KILLING AND LETTING DIE.
MANY PEOPLE MAKE A MORAL
DISTINCTION BETWEEN ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE EUTHANASIA. THEY THINK THAT
IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO WITHHOLD
TREATMENT AND ALLOW A PATIENT TO
DIE, BUT THAT IT IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE
TO KILL A PATIENT BY A DELIBERATE ACT.
LEGAL ISSUES
LET ME POINT OUT HERE FOR THOSE
WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW IT THAT
SUICIDE IS NO LONGER A CRIME
ANYWHERE IN THE ENGLISH-
SPEAKING WORLD. (IT USED TO BE,
AND WAS PUNISHABLE BY GIVING
ALL THE DEAD PERSON'S MONEY AND
GOODS TO THE GOVERNMENT.)
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IS NO LONGER A
CRIME, ALTHOUGH UNDER HEALTH
LAWS A PERSON CAN IN MOST STATES
BE FORCIBLY PLACED IN A
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL FOR THREE
DAYS FOR EVALUATION.
 
ETHICAL ISSUES
WHETHER THE ISSUE IS EUTHANASIA OR
PHYSICIAN’S ASSISTED DEATH, THE HEART OF THE
CONTROVERSY IS WHETHER THERE ARE ANY
MORALLY JUSTIFIABLE REASONS TO KILL ONESELF.
SOME REAL LIFE
EXAMPLES OF
EUTHANASIA
1) A 14 YEAR OLD CHILEAN GIRL WHO ASKED
THE PRESIDENT TO LET HER DIE
2) THE TERMINALLY ILL 29-YEAR-OLD WIFE
WHO MOVED TO OREGON TO HAVE THE RIGHT
TO DIE ON HER OWN TERMS
3) THE HEALTHY WOMAN WHO WANTED TO DIE
BESIDE HER AILING HUSBAND
4) THE TWINS WHO WERE GOING BLIND AND
ASKED TO BE EUTHANIZED
5) THE WOMAN WITH A LARGE FACE TUMOR
WHO ENDED HER LIFE WITH ILLEGAL
EUTHANASIA DRUGS
OUR THOUGHTS ON EUTHANASIA!
THANK
YOU!