Euthanasia means a good death: what is it and what is the legal and ethical perspective?

Euthanasia comes from the Greek eu thanatos and can also be translated as a good death. In most countries, euthanasia in the sense of ending life at the patient's request is illegal.

It is forbidden to end a patient's life, even if the patient is suffering from a terminal illness, pain and many health complications. Even assisted suicide in the sense of providing a substance to end life is usually illegal, even if the patient administers the substance himself.

Both methods lead to premature ending of life. Therefore, they are illegal activities that are treated in the same way as murder.

However, a patient with a serious illness has the right to refuse treatment, thereby bringing himself closer to death. At the same time, he has the right to have the pain and symptoms of his illness relieved.

Within Europe, euthanasia is legal in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland.

Antiquity and first opinions

As far back as antiquity, it was about redemption and ending suffering. However, even here philosophers were divided in their opinions. Hippocrates had a different view and was fundamentally opposed to any form of euthanasia, whether in the form of active assistance or passive non-assistance.

Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics were more inclined to a positive view of euthanasia. Their view spoke of a natural death for the terminally ill and weak and also of killing those who had an evil, sick and incurable soul.

Seneca even speaks of euthanasia for those who must face humiliation, fear of the future, sickness and aging. Death in this case is honorable, peaceful and brave.

In antiquity, we still encounter the term mors voluntaria. As the name suggests, it is a voluntary death. In this case, it is a good and peaceful death, which is intended to resolve a moral and ethical stalemate. A stalemate in this case means an incurable illness, inhuman living conditions or a huge blow of fate.

Abuse of euthanasia

During the Second World War, there were constant abuses and heinous endings of the lives of innocent children or adults.

In fact, in Adolf Hitler's Nazi propaganda, only the preservation of a strong and healthy human being was subject to euthanasia. Others were considered useless or even cavalier.

Thus, disadvantaged children were killed shortly after birth. Killing was resorted to in cases of mental and physical illness.

The system did not benefit from them. They cost money and resources to be used by Hitler's chosen ones. Euthanasia was seen by Hitler as a mercy. It was to be seen as a privilege and a gift to others.

Euthanasia today

Contemporary medicine focuses only on saving life and alleviating the symptoms of disease, relieving pain.

As recently as the first half of the last century, euthanasia was quite often given to any seriously ill patient. It was seen as a way of easing the severe course of the illness and helping the patient to a peaceful death. After that, medical professionals focused more on prolonging life, restoring it and healing it.

This was helped by the discovery of drugs, treatments and even modern devices. The rule and motto became to prolong the patient's life as much as possible, even if we can no longer save it.

It can be said that while in the past death was seen as a natural part of life, today it is seen as an enemy to be fought.

There are also several meanings of the term

The perception of euthanasia is understood in different ways. In a way it is also natural death, suicide or assisted suicide.

Euthanasia is also considered to be the alleviation of severe symptoms of an illness, the numbing of pain, and thus a peaceful accompaniment to a dignified natural death. It is the assistance and support of a medical professional during the dying process. However, this form is also mostly illegal.

It also includes the withdrawal of treatment intended to prolong the life of a long-term patient. In this case, we are talking about voluntary euthanasia.

In general, it can be divided into passive and active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is characterised by the failure to provide treatment, the discontinuation of necessary medication or the withdrawal of a breathing apparatus.

Active euthanasia is already a direct and deliberate act to end the patient's life. It can be direct when the doctor administers a substance to end the patient's life. Indirect is when the administration of a soporific drug leads to a more rapid onset of death.

Code of Ethics for Healthcare Professionals

The mission of a health care worker is to help and care for people. He or she is to carry it out with a deeply human attitude.

The duty of health professionals is to preserve life, protect, promote and restore health, prevent disease and alleviate suffering regardless of the nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, social status, moral or intellectual level or reputation of the patient.

The Code of Ethics does not permit the ending of a patient's life in any way.

However, the health professional also has a duty to care for the health of the individual and society in accordance with the principles of humanity, in a spirit of respect for human life from its beginning to its end, with respect for the dignity of the human person.

Preserving life

Does the Code of Ethics speak of preserving life at all costs, or of leaving with dignity without unnecessarily prolonging the patient's current suffering? It depends above all on the patient's decision.

In the case of treatment, the duty of the health professional is clear. The patient should be given medical assistance. It is important to explain the patient's condition, treatment options and other procedures truthfully and clearly.

It is always advisable to provide the patient with written consent and information about his/her state of health. If the patient refuses treatment, which would result in death, a statement should be made.

This also serves as protection for the doctor. In it, the patient declares that he or she is refusing any treatment. He or she also confirms that he or she is aware of the consequences of such an action.

Refusal of treatment is to be distinguished from euthanasia. The patient does not take active steps towards suicide. He merely disagrees and does not undergo the treatment recommended.

Exceptional cases

However, there are also cases of patients who suffer from, for example, mental illness, are unaware of the consequences of their actions and cannot assess the situation clearly. In these cases, it is appropriate to go to court.

There is also the concept of distancing, which is the opposite of euthanasia. This is where a patient is kept alive artificially or even forcibly by purely artificial means.

We are talking about the artificial prolongation of suffering. In this case, a person is prevented from leaving the world, even though his condition is undeniably tending towards that.

The treatment brings no benefit or relief to the patient. On the contrary, it increases his pain and suffering.