Question

If you were a doctor or hospital administrator, what principles and arguments would you use to decide a medical ethical case involving voluntary euthanasia where the duty to aid and the duty to preserve life were in conflict with the duty to prevent suffering and the duty to respect autonomy?

Answer 1

Euthanasia means the painless killing of a patient who is suffering from a disease which is incurable as well as painful. It is about intentionally ending one's life and has been supported and also protested against by many. The supportive arguments are that if the disease is incurable and it is inevitable the patient's death, then many people argue that it is better to release the patient from that unbearable pain. It is helping the patient and it is also tough for the concerned family to look at their member suffering for no result.We use the principles of ending the suffering of the patient and the respect for Autonomy. Euthanasia is done on the principle of reducing pain or suffering of the patient along with the family members. Autonomy of the patient to end his/her own pain is respected here. The duty to aid and preserve life is it conflict. but Euthanasia aids in reducing the pain and preserving the integrity of patient.

It is morally justifiable only in the case where the pain is just impossible to be stopped and the death is inevitable. All the family members and the patient himself must agree with this. But if the pain is avoided, this euthanasia must also be avoided at any cost.