Euthanasia: When Ending Life Is Considered a Solution
Euthanasia refers to deliberately action taken with the intention of ending a life, in order to relieve persistent suffering. In practice, this process is complex and it involves weighing many factors. Local laws, someone’s physical and mental health, and their personal beliefs and wishes all play a role. No wonder if this procedure itself still raises the pros and cons in various countries.
Euthanasia can be carried out in certain cases, for example in patients with terminal diseases that cannot be cured or in patients who feel pain and their medical conditions can no longer be treated. It is clear that this action ends the suffering of the patient. However, on the other hand, euthanasia also results in the death of the patient.
There are several types of euthanasia distinguished according to procedures and someone’s outlook and level of consciousness.
Active & Passive
Active euthanasia is carried out by doctors. The doctor will determine the most effective and painless method, such as giving a lethal dose of a sedative to the patients. Meanwhile, passive euthanasia is a type of euthanasia that is carried out by doctors by reducing or limiting medication that supports the patient’s life so that the patient can die faster. For example, by stopping the use of ventilators in patients with respiratory failure.
Voluntary & Nonvoluntary
Voluntary euthanasia is a type of euthanasia requested by a patient with full awareness and a healthy mental condition. This action can be carried out with the aim of ending the patient’s suffering from an incurable disease or disease symptom, for example in the case of terminal cancer.
In the type of nonvoluntary euthanasia, the decision to end life is not made by the patient, but the patient’s parents, husband, wife, children, or other close family members. Involuntary euthanasia is generally performed when the patient is unconscious or in a vegetative state or in a coma.
Euthanasia law by country
People have debated over the ethics and legality of euthanasia for centuries. Today, laws about euthanasia are different across countries. Several countries that legalize euthanasia such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Colombia and Canada. The Netherlands became the first country to decriminalize voluntary euthanasia. On the other hand, there are also countries that do not allow euthanasia. As in Indonesia, euthanasia is still illegal or should not be done. The prohibition on euthanasia in Indonesia is indirectly mentioned in the Criminal Code (KUHP) Article 344. And there are also some countries that only allow Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) procedure and/or do not legalize active euthanasia, such as Switzerland, Germany and Japan.
-Northern Ingo-
