For years, the practice of Euthanasia has sparked debates in the fields of medicine, law and ethics. While the practice remains illegal in many countries, nations such as Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and others allow certain types of euthanasia.
Euthanasia refers to intentionally ending a life. In simpler terms, it refers to the painless killing of a person who is either suffering from an incurable disease or is in an irreversible coma.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes euthanasia as "an action that causes a painless death, or the choice not to prevent death in the case of a terminal illness" with a goal to "relieve suffering."
Over the years, the terminology around euthanasia has continued to change. From mercy killing to death with dignity, here is a look at the various ways euthanasia is known to the world.
Euthanasia And Its Types
There are four types of euthanasia. The first are active and passive euthanasia.
Active euthanasia refers to directly or deliberately causing a patient's death. Under this method, death is "brought upon" by an act, such as a lethal injection.
Passive euthanasia refers to death brought about by omission. This is done by withdrawing or withholding treatment.
Apart from these, there is voluntary euthanasia, which is at the request of the person who wants to die, and non-voluntary euthanasia, which refers to a guardian or relative making a decision on behalf of the person who is unwell.
Euthanasia, Mercy Killing Or Assisted Suicide?
The term euthanasia comes from Greek and refers to a "good death". Over the years, new terms such as assisted suicide and mercy killing have evolved around euthanasia.
In the case of assisted suicide, it is the patient who carries out the action of ending their life, be it through a lethal injection or ingestion of a drug which has been provided in the context of healthcare.
In the Middle Ages, euthanasia was also referred to as a "mercy killing". This act involved the "intentional ending of a person's life to relieve their suffering."
Mercy killing, later on, came under the umbrella of involuntary euthanasia, which refers to enabling a patient라이브 바카라 death without their consent, and is seen as murder.
In the darker chapters of history, euthanasia was misused. For instance, during the Nazi regime, the term euthanasia was used to describe killing people with disabilities or mental disorders, or those belonging to a low social status.
As the ethical, moral and legal dilemma over euthanasia continues, a new branch of thinking has emerged when it comes to this practice. This is referred to as "Death with Dignity."
What Is Death With Dignity?
Death with Dignity refers to the idea that the terminally ill should be able to choose the conditions of their death.
The concept, with major aspects of euthanasia and assisted dying, focuses on the idea that people should retain their right to dignity and freedom till the end of their life.
