4/6/2020 Arguments for and against euthanasia - HSE.

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Euthanasia and assisted suicide

Introduction 

Arguments for and against euthanasia 

Page last reviewed: 13/07/2011

Below are some of the main arguments used by both supporters and opponents of euthanasia and assisted
suicide.

None of these arguments necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the HSE or the Department of
Health.

Arguments for euthanasia and assisted suicide

There are several main types of argument used to support the practices of euthanasia and assisted suicide:

 an ethical argument: according to the widely accepted ethical principle of respect for autonomy (freedom
of choice), people should have the right to control their own body and life (as long as they do not abuse
any other person's rights), and the state should not create laws that prevent citizens being able to choose
when and how they die
 a pragmatic argument: euthanasia, especially passive euthanasia, is already a widespread practice
(allegedly), just not one that people are willing to confess to, so surely it is better to properly regulate
euthanasia

The pragmatic argument is discussed in more depth below.

Pragmatic argument
The pragmatic argument states that many of the practices used in end-of-life care are essentially a type of
euthanasia in all but name.

For example, there is the practice of making a 'Do Not Attempt Resuscitation' (DNAR) order, where a person
has requested that they do not receive treatment if their heart stops beating or they stop breathing.

Critics have argued that DNAR is essentially a type of passive euthanasia as a person is being denied
treatment that could potentially save their life.

Another controversial practice is known as palliative sedation. This is when a person experiencing extreme
su ering, for which there is no e ective treatment, is put to sleep using sedative medication. For example,
palliative sedation is often used to treat burns victims who are expected to die.

While palliative sedation is not directly carried out for the purpose of ending lives, many of the sedatives
used carry a risk of shortening a person's lifespan. So it could be argued that palliative sedation is a type of
active euthanasia.

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So the pragmatic argument is that if euthanasia is essentially being performed anyway, society might as well
properly legalise and regulate euthanasia.

It should be stressed that the interpretations of DNAR and palliative sedation presented above are
extremely controversial and certainly not accepted by most doctors, nurses and palliative care specialists.
See Euthanasia - alternatives (/eng/health/az/e/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide/alternatives-to-euthanasia-
and-assisted-suicide.html) for responses to these interpretations. 

Arguments against euthanasia and assisted suicide

There are four main types of argument used by people who are opposed to euthanasia and assisted
suicide:

 the religious argument: these practices can never be justi ed for religious reasons, for example many
people believe that only God has the right to end a human life
 the 'slippery slope' argument: this is based on the concern that legalising euthanasia could lead to
signi cant unintended changes in our healthcare system and society at large that we would later come to
regret
 the medical ethics argument: asking doctors, nurses or any other health professional to carry out acts of
euthanasia or assist in a suicide would be a violation of fundamental medical ethics
 the alternative argument: there is no reason a person should su er either mentally or physically as there
are e ective end-of-life treatments available, so euthanasia is not a valid treatment option but instead
represents a failure on the part of the doctor involved in a person's care  

Religious argument
The most common religious argument is that human beings are the sacred creation of God, so human life is
by extension sacred. This means there are limits to what humans can do with their life, such as ending it.

Only God should choose when a human life ends, so committing an act of euthanasia or assisting in suicide
is acting against the will of God and is sinful.

This argument, or variations on it, is shared by the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths.

The issue is more complex in Hinduism and Buddhism. A number of scholars from both faiths have argued
that euthanasia and assisted suicides are ethically acceptable acts in some circumstances, but these views
do not have universal support among Hindus and Buddhists.

'Slippery slope' argument

The slippery slope argument is based on the idea that once a healthcare service, and by extension the
government, starts killing its own citizens, a line is crossed that should have never been crossed and a
dangerous precedent has been set.

The concern is that a society that allows voluntary euthanasia will then gradually change its attitudes to
include non-voluntary and then involuntary euthanasia.

Also, legalised voluntary euthanasia could eventually lead to a wide range of unforeseen consequences,
such as the following:

 Very ill people who need constant care or people with severe disabilities may feel pressured to request
euthanasia so they are not a burden to their family.

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 Legalising euthanasia may discourage research into palliative treatments and possibly cures for people
with terminal illnesses.
 Doctors may occasionally be badly mistaken about a patient's diagnosis and outlook and the patient may
chose euthanasia as they have been wrongly told they have a terminal condition.

Medical ethics argument

The medical ethics argument states that legalising euthanasia would violate one of the most important
medical ethics, which in the words of the International Code of Medical Ethics is: 'A doctor must always bear
in mind the obligation of preserving human life from conception'.

Asking doctors to abandon their obligation to preserve human life could fatally damage the doctor-patient
relationship. Doctors could become hardened to death and the process of causing death becomes a routine
administrative task. This could lead to a lack of compassion when dealing with elderly, disabled or
terminally ill patients.

In turn, people with complex health needs or severe disabilities could become distrustful of their doctor's
e orts and intentions, thinking their doctor would rather 'kill them o ' than take responsibility for a
complex and demanding case.

Alternative argument
The alternative argument is that, because of advances in palliative care and mental health treatment, there
is no reason any person should ever feel they are su ering intolerably, whether it is physical or mental
su ering or both.

According to the argument, if the right care and environment is provided, there is no reason a person
cannot have a digni ed and painless natural death.

Alternatives to euthanasia and assisted suicide 

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