Euthanasia

General Infomation

It differs from Assisted Suicide because in AS the doctor provides means for the patient to end their own life. In euthanasia, it is either the direct action of the physician (such as lethal injection) or the direct omision (refusal to give food or water) that causes death in the patient. In addition, the patient may request to be euthanized, be neutral, or against the decision.

To review definitions:

  • Euthanasia is the physician taking the life of the patient.
  • Euthanasia can be done by:
    • Direct action, such as lethal injection, or
    • Omission of ordinary care, commonly referred to as food, water, and shelter
  • Euthanasia is broken down further into:
    • Voluntary- when the patient has requested to be killed by the physician.
    • Non-Voluntary- when the patient made no request, gave no consent, or the request was unknown.
    • Involuntary- when the patient has stated not to be killed.

Voluntary Euthanasia is no difference in principle than assisted suicide, so please look to the section on Assisted Suicide for reasons on why patients should not be allowed to choose the end of their own life, whether by physician or by themselves.

Non-voluntary and Involuntary Euthanasia rests on the same playing field as abortion, since it is the taking of innocent human life.

Who opposes legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia?

Opposition to the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide is spread across a spectrum or people and organizations. Many medical and disability rights groups have opposed legalization. For example, The American Medical Association has an official position in opposition to legalization of both physician assisted suicide and euthanasia. Disability rights groups are opposed because they recognize that people with disabilities are potential victims of these practices.

In California, state and national Latino organizations worked with a coalition to defeat the proposed assisted suicide law there.

Right-to-life groups and major church denominations also worked to defeat these measures.