Lecture 16 - Bioethical Issue: Euthanasia

EUTHANASIA

Comes from the GREEK words: EU (Good) and THANATOS (Death)

EU

Good

THANATOS

Death

EUTHANASIA

It means “Good Death”, or “Gentle and Easy Death”

EUTHANASIA

means “The Act of Inducing an Easy Death”

ACT OF INDUCING AN EASY DEATH

Acts which terminate or shorten life painlessly in order to end suffering where there is no prospect of recovery

EUTHANASIA

This word has come to be used for “MERCY KILLING.”

EUTHANASIA

Intentional termination or ending of a person’s life typically at your own request or with their informed consent

LETHAL INJECTION/ SUSPENSION OF MEDICAL TREATMENT

It is the act or practice of ending of a person’s life either by a

EUTHANASIA

It is an act or practice of painlessly putting to death persons suffering from painful and incurable diseases or incapacitating physical disorders or allowing them to die by withholding treatment or withdrawing artificial life-support measures

RELIEVE THE SUFFERING

The primary goal of performing euthanasia is to

PHILIPPINES

In the __________, euthanasia is NOT OBSERVED due to its ethical and legal complications

1. The act of the medical practitioner overrides the right of the patient to self-determination;

2. His/her act runs contrary to his/her solemn oath to do no harm;

3. His/her act is not beneficial to his/her patient;

4. His/her act fails to carry his/her duty to preserve life.

In the PHILIPPINES, euthanasia is NOT OBSERVED due to its ethical and legal complications:

LIABLE FOR MURDER

a doctor who resorts to mercy-killing of his/her patient without the patient’s consent may be

LIABLE FOR GIVING ASSISTANCE TO SUICIDE

a doctor who will give assistance to a dying patient to the extent of doing the act himself/herself is

• NETHERLANDS

• BELGIUM

• SWITZERLAND

• COLUMBIA

In some parts of the world, however, it is PERMITTED (LEGALIZED). These countries include:

• VERMONT

• OREGON

• WASHINGTON

In the UNITED STATES, only 3 states namely ________ have allowed euthanasia as early as 2015

FEBRUARY 6, 2015

In CANADA, euthanasia was legalized on

PHILIPPINES

In the ________ however, the act of mercy killing remains a controversial subject among lawmakers

EUTHANASIA

An act committed when a person’s last act causes the death of the patient

ASSISTED SUICIDE

If the patient’s last action causes his/her own death

• VOLUNTARY

• NON-VOLUNTARY

• INVOLUNTARY

CLASSIFICATIONS OF EUTHANASIA:

VOLUNTARY

If consent is given by the patient before the act of euthanasia

VOLUNTARY

The individual requests the termination of their own life, expressing a voluntary desire to die

NON-VOLUNTARY

If the patient is incapable of giving consent (mentally ill, coma patients, etc.)

INVOLUNTARY

A person wants to live, but someone else (physician or family member) decides that it would be in the person’s best interest if their life was ended

ACTIVE or PASSIVE

Euthanasia can be classified as either __________ depending on how the procedure of the act is done to the patient

ACTIVE or POSITIVE EUTHANASIA

Involves the intentional administration of a lethal substance or the performance of an intervention with the explicit purpose of causing the patient’s death

ACTIVE or POSITIVE EUTHANASIA

Involves actions that speed up the process of dying

ACTIVE or POSITIVE EUTHANASIA

It is typically carried out by a healthcare professional, often a physician, at the request of the patient or their legal representative

ACTIVE or POSITIVE EUTHANASIA

ACT OF COMMISSION

ACT OF COMMISSION

This is done with the intention of ending the patient’s life in a humane and painless manner

PASSIVE or NEGATIVE EUTHANASIA

Any form of treatment that might extend a person’s life is withdrawn

PASSIVE or NEGATIVE EUTHANASIA

ACT OF OMISSION

PASSIVE or NEGATIVE EUTHANASIA

No heroic measures taken to preserve life

WITHHOLDING LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT

A decision not to initiate or continue treatments such as mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, or hydration

DO-NOT-RESUSCITATE (DNR) ORDERS

patients or their legal representatives may request not to be resuscitated in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest

WITHDRAWAL OF LIFE SUPPORT

Discontinuing treatments that are artificially sustaining life, such as turning off a ventilator or stopping dialysis

PALLIATIVE CARE

Providing comfort care and pain management without actively seeking to cure the underlying disease, allowing the natural course of the illness to take place

ASSISTED SUICIDE

Deliberately assisting or encouraging another person to end their own life involves providing support, guidance, or the means for an individual to voluntarily and intentionally bring about their own death

ASSISTED SUICIDE

This assistance can take various forms, and the level of involvement may vary, but it ultimately revolves around aiding someone in their decision to terminate their life

PRINCIPLE OF SELF-AUTONOMY

Family decides for the patient given the cultural closeness of the Filipino family. But as time passes by, there is a slow shift to recognize and give much respect to the decision of the patient as he/she becomes assertive of his/her right to decide for himself/herself

PRINCIPLE OF TRUTH TELLING

Physician as he must not be held or pushed, by any ounce of bias in the trust about the patient’s hopeless condition

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

Proposed on improving the quality of life of terminally ill patients through medical intervention to relieve them of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual

AUGUST 22, 2000

On __________, the HOUSE BILL NO. 564 (MAGNA CARTA FOR PATIENT’S RIGHTS) was introduced by representatives

HOUSE BILL NO. 564 (MAGNA CARTA FOR PATIENT’S RIGHTS)

On AUGUST 22, 2000, the ___________ was introduced by representatives

HOUSE BILL NO. 564

MAGNA CARTA FOR PATIENT’S RIGHT

▪ Raoul B. Del Mar

▪ Oscar R. Rodriguez

▪ Hilarion J. Ramiro Jr.

▪ Robert Ace S. Barbers

▪ Ma. Catalina Loreto-Go

▪ Julita Lorenzo-Villareal

▪ Gerardo S. Espina

▪ Gorgonio P. Unde

On AUGUST 22, 2000, the HOUSE BILL NO. 564 (MAGNA CARTA FOR PATIENT’S RIGHTS) was introduced by representatives namely:

HOUSE BILL NO. 564 (MAGNA CARTA FOR PATIENT’S RIGHTS)

The said bill states that a patient has the right to refuse diagnostic and medical treatment

HOUSE BILL NO. 8148

Asserts that a patient has the right to terminate his/her life upon will or with the assistance of a physician

NOT EFFECTIVE & NOT LEGALIZED

Both house bills are NOT ACTED upon due to the opposition of the Commission on Human Rights. These house bills are _________ in the Philippines

NORMS AND VALUES OF THE SOCIETY REGARDING WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT

It is MORALLY RIGHT to end the life of a person when a contagious disease occurs because the existence of the person is less significant than the life of the community or the society as a whole

NORMS AND VALUES OF THE SOCIETY REGARDING WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT

It is a matter of getting rid of the infectious disease (victim of euthanasia) rather than spreading the infectious disease to some members of society

NORMS AND VALUES THAT MANIFEST IN THE PERSON HIMSELF/HERSELF OR WITHIN FAMILY MEMBERS

Norms and values of the person or his/her family may determine whether such acts (conduct of euthanasia) is against the desire of the family members because of the close family ties among them

NORMS AND VALUES THAT MANIFEST IN THE PERSON HIMSELF/HERSELF OR WITHIN FAMILY MEMBERS

The MOST COMMON OPTION HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES given our strong Family ties which is a common value in the Filipino culture

MORTAL SIN

A __________ to commit euthanasia because the victim can be cured by his/her strong faith in an Almighty God or Supreme Being

BAD KARMA

If consummated, the doer of the action commits the greatest sin in life that leads to

CRUCIAL ACT/ CASE OF MURDER

Euthanasia can also be viewed as a

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

Voluntary euthanasia is a case of

EUTHANASIA

a violation of the sanctity of human life and that life belongs to God alone

PROHIBITED PARAPHERNALIA

Some cases may involve the use of __________ in order to commit the act especially the performance of euthanasia in connivance with a group of persons with lethal weapons

PRINCIPAL PERPETRATOR

has the intention of killing the victim

POWER AND WEALTH

Performed in order to acquire wealth and power of the deceased

ARTICLE 253 GIVING ASSISTANCE TO SUICIDE

➢ Any person who shall assist another to commit suicide shall suffer from Prision Mayor.

➢ If such person leads his assistance to another to the extent of doing the killing himself, he shall suffer the penalty of Reclusion Temporal.

➢ However, if the suicide is not consummated, the penalty of Arresto Mayor in its medium and maximum periods shall be imposed.

PRISION MAYOR

Any person who shall assist another to commit suicide shall suffer from

PRISION MAYOR

It is a term in the Philippine law that typically means the duration of the penalties and temporary disqualification that shall be from 6 YEARS and 1 DAY to 12 YEARS

RECLUSION TEMPORAL

If such person leads his assistance to another to the extent of doing the killing himself, he shall suffer the penalty of

RECLUSION TEMPORAL

This is the most severe of the visible penalties with duration of 12 YEARS and 1 DAY to 20 YEARS

ARRESTO MAYOR

If the suicide is not consummated, the penalty of __________ in its medium and maximum periods shall be imposed

ARRESTO MAYOR

Included in the penalty and its entirety from 1 MONTH and 1 DAY to MONTHS included in its minimum period or from 2 MONTHS and 1 DAY to 4 MONTHS

• THE ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF EUTHANASIA

• POWER AND WEALTH

• CLASSIFICATION AS AN ASSISTED SUICIDE

• LACK OF CONSENT OF THE VICTIM’S FAMILY MEMBERS, OR RELATIVES

LEGAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS OF EUTHANASIA:

MERCY KILLING

Killing oneself or ending a person’s life with the assistance or help of another person

DEBATE

Argument about the act of euthanasia

DEATH WITH DIGNITY ACT

An act legalizing euthanasia as enforced by some countries

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Moral issues behind euthanasia

LEGAL ISSUES

Revolve around the penalties or punishments imposed on person/s who assist/assists in the conduct of euthanasia

PALLIATIVE CARE

Relief that may be extended by a person to a patient who is seriously ill

SUICIDE

An act of assisted euthanasia