8 Little Known Facts About Euthanasia That You Need To Know

Euthanasia is the termination of someone’s life, when living becomes too unbearable for one (physically). Euthanasia is mostly carried out because the person who dies asks for it, but there are cases of euthanasia where a person is not even in a state to make such a request.

Though it is called assisted suicide, euthanasia is entirely different from suicide. The biggest plus point of euthanasia is that it gives enough time to people to prepare for the death, of one’s own or that of a near one.

Despite being a humanitarian move, euthanasia is a very sensitive subject around the world, and especially in India. Here are some things about euthanasia that you should know.

1. The term ‘Euthanasia’ comes from the Greek word ‘εὐθανασία’, that means ‘good death’

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2. The Hippocratic Oath that doctors take states- “I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel”

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But like abortion, doctors can now ethically perform euthanasia under certain circumstances.

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3. Out of the 196 countries in the world, only 9 countries have legalised euthanasia or assisted death

The countries are Netherlands, Belgium, Colombia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Albania and US. Even in USA, only the states of Washington, Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico and Montana have it legalised.

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4. Euthanasia can be catagorised into 5 types

  • Voluntary Euthanasia – When a competent person makes a voluntary and enduring request to be helped to die.
  • Involuntary Euthanasia – To end a person’s life without their knowledge or consent.
  • Active Euthanasia – To end a person’s life by using drugs, whether by oneself or with the aid of a physician.
  • Passive Euthanasia – To end a person life by not taking the necessary and ordinary action to maintain life, like withdrawing water, food etc.
  • Involuntary Euthanasia – To end a person’s life against the will of the person.

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5.  Euthanasia is mostly administered by giving lethal doses of painkiller or other drugs

But the uses of starvation, plastic bag to suffocate, carbon monoxide, and Dr Philip Nitschke’s ‘peaceful pill’ to euthanize are also in practice.

 

6. Though euthanasia is still illegal in England, King George V was euthanised

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The King was suffering from cardio-respiratory failure, and was given a fatal dose of morphine and cocaine in order to hasten his death.

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7. Despite Euthanasia being generally illegal in India, there is a tradition of forced euthanasia in South India

It is called thalaikoothal, a Tamil term for “shower” or “oil bath.” Old feeble people are forced to drink fresh cow’s milk until they suffer breathing problems and, eventually, die. This tradition is apparently society approved.

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8. In 2010 Hrithik Roshan starred in a Bollywood film called Guzaarish, which portrayed euthanasia, opening up a huge debate nation wide

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9. Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia on 7 March, 2011 following the Aruna Shanbaug case

Aruna Shanbaug lived in a vegetative state for 42 years, after she was brutally raped in 1973. Her case was a key factor that prompted the supreme court’s decision.

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Sometimes, death is the most generous thing that can happen to people.

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