Over the past seventy years, controversy over Euthanasia has developed increasingly. Although this controversy deals primarily with family matters, the life-ending topic has surfaced greatly throughout public matters within the past twenty years. Euthanasia, also known as doctor assisted suicide, is ethically and morally sound when the quality of life is low.
"The word 'euthanasia' comes from the Greek—eu, 'good,' and thanatos, 'death.' Literally, 'good death" (Humphry 1). "Good death" is achieved through the practice for patients with severe incurable illnesses. Often times patients with illnesses such as cancer, depression, and other life-ending diseases, wish to forgo death through practical and dignified routes to relieve suffering. In relation to the pain brought about with each illness, patients lead towards opting out of life to rid of the excruciating pain enveloping each individual. This medical practice can be done in numerous ways, whether it be withholding treatment to lead to the cause of death, or inducing the patient with a prescription drug that will inevitably lead to death for the patient.
…show more content…
Euthanasia can be broken down into two procedural classification's known as Active and Passive Euthanasia. Active Euthanasia is the practice of using lethal substances to end the life of the patient whether the actions are conducted by the patient or by someone else. Whereas, Passive Euthanasia is the practice of withholding life-sustaining treatments to the patient. The breakdown in classifications can even be taken further into voluntary and involuntary Euthanasia. Voluntary Euthanasia is conducted with consent from the patient. Whereas, Involuntary Euthanasia is conducted without a patient's consent. The decision is made by another, due to the patients incapability to make a decision themselves. Within these category's, support and legalization for Voluntary Euthanasia has far exceeded the other