Everyone would agree that advances in medical science have helped extend the quantity and the quality of life. But by extending the lives of terminally ill patients, those advances have created a raging debate about euthanasia.

Many argue that just because we CAN keep certain people alive does not necessarily mean that we SHOULD keep them alive.

Euthanasia is defined as the action of inducing the painless death of a person for reasons assumed to be merciful…and covers three different situations:

Passive euthanasia occurs when a patient’s life support equipment is turned off, when food or water is withheld, or when doctors administer large doses of morphine to alleviate suffering.

Active euthanasia describes the instance when another person helps the patient end their life.

Physician assisted suicide occurs when the patient’s doctor supplies the means or the information the patient needs to end their life.

Would you make the choice to “die with dignity” as under the upcoming Spanish law?

Would you want euthanasia applied on yourself?

Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My Friend
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