TOK THURSDAY 1/14/16
Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering.
For example, a doctor who gives a patient with terminal cancer an overdose of muscle relaxants to end their life would be considered to have carried out euthanasia. Both active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law.
Depending on the circumstances, euthanasia is regarded as either manslaughter or murder and is punishable by law, with a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment. Assisted suicide is illegal under the terms of the Suicide Act (1961) and is punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment. Attempting to kill yourself is not a criminal act in itself.
Types of euthanasia
Euthanasia can be classified in different ways, including:
Active euthanasia is currently only legal in Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Under the laws in these countries, a person’s life can be deliberately ended by their doctor or other healthcare professional.
The person is usually given an overdose of muscle relaxants or sedatives. This causes a coma and then death.
However, euthanasia is only legal if the following three criteria are met:
For example, a doctor who gives a patient with terminal cancer an overdose of muscle relaxants to end their life would be considered to have carried out euthanasia. Both active euthanasia and assisted suicide are illegal under English law.
Depending on the circumstances, euthanasia is regarded as either manslaughter or murder and is punishable by law, with a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment. Assisted suicide is illegal under the terms of the Suicide Act (1961) and is punishable by up to 14 years' imprisonment. Attempting to kill yourself is not a criminal act in itself.
Types of euthanasia
Euthanasia can be classified in different ways, including:
- active euthanasia – where a person deliberately intervenes to end someone’s life – for example, by injecting them with a large dose of sedatives
- passive euthanasia – where a person causes death by withholding or withdrawing treatment that is necessary to maintain life, such as withholding antibiotics from someone with pneumonia
- voluntary euthanasia – where a person makes a conscious decision to die and asks for help to do this
- non-voluntary euthanasia – where a person is unable to give their consent (for example, because they are in a coma or are severely brain damaged) and another person takes the decision on their behalf, often because the ill person previously expressed a wish for their life to be ended in such circumstances
- involuntary euthanasia – where a person is killed against their expressed wishes
Active euthanasia is currently only legal in Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Under the laws in these countries, a person’s life can be deliberately ended by their doctor or other healthcare professional.
The person is usually given an overdose of muscle relaxants or sedatives. This causes a coma and then death.
However, euthanasia is only legal if the following three criteria are met:
- The person has made an active and voluntary request to end their life.
- It is thought that they have sufficient mental capacity to make an informed decision regarding their care.
- It is agreed that the person is suffering unbearably and there is no prospect for an improvement in their condition.
Dr.Jack Kevorkian BIOGRAPHY
california_has_legalized_physician-assisted_suicide._here’s_how_the_law_works.pdf |
chronology_of_assisted_dying_-_death_with_dignity_-_death_with_dignity.pdf |
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