To know what orthothanasia is, it is interesting to understand the meaning of two other words: dysthanasia and euthanasia. This corresponds to the active practice of interrupting the life of a patient with a disease in an irreversible stage and with no possibility of improvement; with the aim of ending your pain. The former refers to the postponement of the death of this individual, usually due to the use of drugs and equipment that often cause unnecessary suffering.
Orthothanasia would be, then, simply speaking, the middle ground between these two procedures. Hers is the idea of promoting death at the right time (ortho: right, thanatos: death) – not even before, as in the case of euthanasia; nor later, as in dysthanasia. Thus, it chooses to restrict, or discard, aggressive and inefficient treatments, which will not reverse the situation in question.
It is up to orthothanasia to promote palliative care for the patient, until the moment of his/her death. These are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), as the control of pain and other symptoms, and the care of psychological, social and spiritual problems; achieving the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. Thus, care aimed at the person's well-being becomes the priority, and not the fight against something that, inevitably, cannot be fought – in this case, the disease and the end of life.
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From this perspective, death is seen as a natural condition of every human being, with the ideal being the search for acceptance of this fact, ensuring the dignity of the one who is leaving. By not undergoing invasive procedures, usually far from home, which leave you exhausted; the patient in question may have more time and energy to be with loved ones, also taking the opportunity to live actively within their conditions.
In our country, in 2006, the Federal Council of Medicine published Resolution No. 1,805, aiming at regulating this practice in Brazil. It was authorized by the Federal Public Ministry only in 2010: the year in which orthothanasia was included in the new code of medical ethics.
According to these documents, orthothanasia should be considered in cases of terminal patients, with the consent of the patient or family. Thus, sincere and sensible dialogue between those involved is very important.
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Euthanasia
By Mariana Araguaia
Biologist, specialist in Environmental Education
Brazil School Team
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
ARAGUAIA, Mariana. "Orthothanasia"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/sociologia/ortotanasia.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
