Death: Should There Be A Choice

Wow, sources and everything. Sorry but I'm not going to do all that work so I'm just going to comment on my view and from my heart. You're really going to compare compassion to murder? Euthanasia and murder are completely different ends of the pole. Murder happens for greed, jealousy and any other number of stupid reasons. Oh and not lets not forget, done without the victim's informed consent. Euthanasia is about ending someone's suffering from a disease that has taken their lives from them and yes, with their complete understanding that they are going to die. Not a big change for them, however, since they're already on that road. I'm not even going to touch the health care one since it's not about cost for me. A matter like this should never be about money and cost. Your number 3, "it is cruel... is right on target. Advancement in pain medication doesn't improve quality of life. If the disease they have is stealing their ability to think, to move, to live, then what good is pain medicine? Medications only allow that person to feel nothing while they remain confined to bed, unable to do much else. I don't think a person has the right to choose death while there is still quality to that life, but that person should be able to say, when it comes to that point, when I'm no longer able to think, or move, or live, then yes, please help me end it, don't let me suffer. And yes, it should always remain a choice not a coercion as you point out. All options, including palliative care, should be presented. I really believe that the choices people make might come as a surprise. As for religion, well, I've got nothing nice to say there so I'll just say that if a person's religion opposes euthanasia than it's up to that individual as to what he/she wants. If the person is willing to take the risk at their judgment (whatever that is for their particular faith) then it's their choice. Doctors aren't going to push death on a patient no matter what the studies say. I work in the field and have never seen a doctor push for one option over another. All the options are presented and truthfully, usually those options aren't presented to the patient by a doctor but by a social worker or a nurse who has been trained to present all options. How is euthanasia unethical? Because those opposed say it is? Because religion says suicide, assisted or not, is wrong and immoral? (As a side note, I am opposed to suicide in general and I'm in no way supporting or promoting suicide for those with non life threatening diseases.) Who are we to tell someone their suffering is okay, that they have to go on suffering, taking pain medications and being unable to leave their beds because helping them end their lives is unethical, immoral and will send them straight to hell. If a person is above the age of consent and has a life threatening disease that will eventually steal their ability to live and then kill them, that person should have the chance to have every available option (including euthanasia) presented to them and then given the chance to decide for themselves. If they choose assisted death, well then, it doesn't have to happen right then and there, but at a time when they specify, such as when the quality of their life has been reduced to living in a bed and more or less a shell of the person the once were.