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Euthenasia

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Reflection: Euthanasia In the classroom text there is a chapter on Euthanasia, which I wasn’t even aware of. After reading the section, practicing euthanasia requires many ethical and moral decisions to be made. There must be rules and extreme caution because it is the decision on a person’s life. It is important to distinguish the difference between active and passive euthanasia. Active, is the process when drugs are administered, or using certain death-causing means to bring about tor cause the death of a person. Passive, is the process of withholding or withdrawing certain treatment and letting the person die. Both reasons for being used is to help the person have a good or better death. First thing that I thought is that in order to legally and ethically perform this would require many guidelines and rules. Also, while following certain rules before ending someone’s life, this should help you in making a moral and right decision. No doctor would ever want to let someone suffer, however you would just have to be sure that it was the right thing. In the Netherlands, there is a historical tradition of active euthanasia. There is a law that allows the physicians to medically end a patient’s life as long as there are certain conditions met. Conditions such as; the patient must be faced with unbearable and continuing suffering (although he or she need not be terminally ill, and the suffering need not be physical only), or the doctor must consult with at least one other independent physician who also has examined the patient. Rules or regulations are crucial, we are talking about a person’s life, and therefore certain protocol would have to be administered in my opinion. Next, I just wanted to state some thoughts that I have. In my head, each situation when deciding on euthanasia is completely unique. The persons situation, health condition, how

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