Ustaz Maulana Akbarshah: EUTHANASIA

Saturday, June 22, 2013

EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia is from a Greek word (εὐθανασία) meaning "good death" where εὖ, eu (well or good) and thanatos (death) refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to be relieved from pain and suffering. Euthanasia is categorized in three different ways, which include voluntary euthanasia, non-voluntary euthanasia, or involuntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is legal in some countries and U.S. states. Non-voluntary euthanasia is illegal in all countries. However, in the Netherlands, physicians can avoid prosecution by following well described and strict conditions. These conditions include patient request, taking into consideration the amount of suffering the patient is experiencing, alternative courses of action must be discussed and pursued, all available information must be presented to the patient. Involuntary euthanasia is usually considered murder.

The are different technical definition of euthanasia depends on the usage.The term ‘euthanasia’ was first introduced by a historian Suetonius who described how the Emperor Augustus’s, "dying quickly and without suffering in the arms of his wife, Livia, experienced the euthanasia he had wished for. In the medical context the word "euthanasia" was first used by Francis Bacon in the 17th century which refers to an easy, painless, happy death, where it is a "physician's responsibility to alleviate3 the physical sufferings of the body of a patient." Moreover Bacon referred to an "outward euthanasia"(the term "outward"is to distinguish from a spiritual concept) which regards the preparation of the soul.

In current usage, one approach to defining euthanasia has been to mirror Suetonius, regarding it as the "painless inducement of a quick death". However, it is argued that this approach fails to properly define euthanasia, as it leaves open a number of possible actions which would meet the requirements of the definition, but would not be seen as euthanasia. In particular, these include situations where a person kills another, painlessly, but for no reason beyond that of personal gain; or accidental deaths which are quick and painless, but not intentional. There was a debate within the medical and bioethics literature about whether or not the non-voluntary killing of patients can be regarded as euthanasia, irrespective of intent or the patient's circumstances. In the definitions offered by Beauchamp & Davidson and, later, by Wreen, consent on the part of the patient was not considered to be one of their criteria, although it may have been required to justify euthanasia.However, others see consent[1] as essential.

Euthanasia may be classified into three types: voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. The first type of euthanasia is voluntary euthanasia.The euthanasia that is conducted with the consent of the patient is termed voluntary euthanasia. Active voluntary euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Passive voluntary euthanasia is legal throughout the U.S. per Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. When the patient brings about his or her own death with the assistance of a physician, the term assisted suicide is often used instead. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland and the U.S. states of Oregon, Washington and Montana.The second type of euthanasia is non-voluntary euthanasia.It is conducted where the consent of the patient is unavailable. Examples of non-voluntary euthanasia includes child euthanasia, which is illegal worldwide but decriminalised under certain specific circumstances in the Netherlands under the Groningen Protocol.However the third type of euthanasia is involuntary euthanasia.This type of euthanasia will be conducted against the will of the patient.

Voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia can all be further divided into passive or active variants. Passive euthanasia entails the withholding of common treatments, such as antibiotics, necessary for the continuance of life.Active euthanasia entails the use of lethal[2] substances or forces, such as administering a lethal injection, to kill and is the most controversial means.

Controversies on legalization of euthanasia in Europe and America are continuing. The argument for legalizing euthanasia is that the individual's freedom entails liberty or choice in all matters as long as the rights of any other person are not infringed upon. The argument against legalizing euthanasia is that it will lead to disrespect for human life. Euthanasia can then be abused for criminal purposes. A financial motive is sometimes advanced in favour of euthanasia. It costs money from the family of the government to keep terminally sick people on life support which will be wasted resources if they eventually die.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law states that "a 'mercy killing' or euthanasia is generally considered to be a criminal homicide" and is normally used as a synonym of homicide[3] committed at a request made by the patient.

Physician-assisted suicide is thus not classified as euthanasia by the US State of Oregon, where it is legal under the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, and despite its name, it is not legally classified as suicide either. Unlike physician-assisted suicide, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments with patient consent is almost unanimously considered, at least in the United States, to be legal. The use of pain medication in order to relieve suffering, even if it hastens[4] death, has been held as legal in several court decisions.

Some governments around the world have legalized voluntary euthanasia but generally it remains as a criminal homicide. In the Netherlands and Belgium, where euthanasia has been legalized, it still remains homicide although it is not prosecuted and not punishable if the perpetrator (the doctor) meets certain legal exceptions.

There are many reasons for a person to take the decision of ending their life (voluntary euthanasia) or perhaps the life of their loved ones (involuntary euthanasia).Most of the reasons are favorable to the patient where else there are only one or two reasons favoring to the decision taken by the family members of the patient. One of the reasons are Unbearable pain.Probably the major argument in favor of euthanasia is that the person involved is in great pain.Euthanasia advocates stress the cases of unbearable pain as reasons for euthanasia, but then they soon include a "drugged" state.Besides that,demanding a "right to commit suicide" is also one of the reasons for conducting euthanasia. Probably the second most common point pro-euthanasia people bring up is the ‘rights’.But what we are talking is not about giving the rights to the person who is killed, but to the person who does the killing. In other words, euthanasia is not about the right to die. It's about the right to kill. Euthanasia is not about giving rights to the person who dies but, instead, is about changing the law and public policy so that doctors, relatives and others can directly and intentionally end another person's life. People do have the power to commit suicide. Suicide and attempted suicide are not criminalized. Suicide is a tragic, individual act. Euthanasia is not about a private act. It's about letting one person facilitate[5] the death of another.

On the other hand are the physician’s sentiments. A survey in the United States of more than 10,000 physicians came to the result that approximately 16% of physicians would ever consider halting life-sustaining therapy because the family demands it, even if believed that it was premature. Approximately 55% would not, and for the remaining 29%, it would depend on circumstances.This study also stated that approximately 46% of physicians agree that physician-assisted suicide should be allowed in some cases; 41% do not, and the remaining 14% think it depends on the situation.

Advantages of euthanasia, or right-to die policies according to the European scholars are in allowing the person to maintain a dignity in death after a lifetime of dignity. It may provide them with a sense of empowerment[6] in the face of being powerless against the progression of a chronic, perhaps fatal, disease. It can also relieve some of the guilt and shame they may be feeling as they require increasing amounts of time and resources from relatives, especially if estranged[7] over years. A central theme includes a person’s quality of life.

According to the Islamic scholars, all Muslims believe that Allah (THE GOD) is the Creator and the Owner of all life. He starts human life from conception and only He will end it through natural death. The moment of death is fixed only by our Creator. There are many verses in the final holy book AL QUR'AN which emphasize these core Islamic beliefs such as("Do not kill yourselves, for verily Allah has been to you most merciful")7 .Besides that,other supporting ayah’s from the Holy Quran are (...take not life which Allah has made sacred")8 and ("...and (Allah) is the one who gave you life, then shall He ordain 9 you to die, then shall He give you your life again, truly mankind is ungrateful")[10]

Disadvantages may involve the "slippery slope" many ethicists feel may occur, thinking that voluntary euthanasia can devalue human life. Quality of life is not as significant a theme as is maintenance of a life. Many religious groups feel this may eventually lead to such a widespread value system in society that elderly individuals may be pressured against their will to utilize this option by those with a vested interest ( beneficiaries of life insurance policies, directors of health maintenance organizations, etc.).

In a nutshell nearly all pain can be eliminated and - in those rare cases where it can't be eliminated - it can still be reduced significantly if proper treatment is provided. It is a national and international scandal that so many people do not get adequate pain control. But killing is not the answer to that scandal. The solution is to mandate better education of health care professionals on these crucial issues, to expand access to health care, and to inform patients about their rights as consumers. Everyone - whether it be a person with a life-threatening illness or a chronic condition - has the right to pain relief. With modern advances in pain control, no patient should ever be in excruciating[11] pain.

However, most doctors have never had a course in pain management so they're unaware of what to do. If a patient who is under a doctor's care is in excruciating pain, there's definitely a need to find a different doctor. But that doctor should be one who will control the pain, not one who will kill the patient. There are board certified specialists in pain management who will not only help alleviate physical pain but are skilled in providing necessary support to deal with emotional suffering and depression that often accompanies physical pain.And neither the law nor medical ethics requires that "everything be done" to keep a person alive. Insistence, against the patient's wishes, that death be postponed by every means available is contrary to law and practice. It would also be cruel and inhumane. There comes a time when continued attempts to cure are not compassionate, wise, or medically sound. That's where hospice, including in-home hospice care, can be of such help. That is the time when all efforts should be placed on making the patient's remaining time comfortable. Then, all interventions should be directed to alleviating pain and other symptoms as well as to the provision of emotional and spiritual support for both the patient and the patient's loved ones.

Islamically,euthanasia is forbidden for it encompasses[12] a positive role on the part of the physician to end the life of the patient and hasten his death via lethal injection, electric shock, a sharp weapon or any other way. This is an act of killing, and, killing is a major sin and thus forbidden in Islam, the religion of pure mercy.As a conclusion we can say that the Islamic position is that life belongs to Allah. It is He who gives and takes away life. No human can give or take it. Muslims are against euthanasia. They believe that all human life is sacred because it is given by Allah, and that Allah chooses how long each person will live. Human beings should not interfere in this.