Euthanasia is the conduct of shorten the life of a terminally ill patient or who is subject to intolerable physical or mental pain and suffering.
The basic idea of the practice of euthanasia is that every individual has the right to end his life, if he is facing any of the situations described above.
Etymologically, this term originated from the Greek me + thanatos, which translates as "good death" or "death without pain".
Euthanasia is a controversial issue. There are countries with legislation specifically defined about its practice, while others categorically refute it for various reasons, mainly religious and cultural.
In general, euthanasia implies a smooth and painless death, avoiding the prolongation of the patient's suffering. But, on the other hand, euthanasia can also be interpreted as the act of killing a person or helping them to commit suicide. The reason for controversy consists precisely in the confrontation between these two findings.
Euthanasia can occur for several reasons: the patient's will; why the sick pose a threat to society (eugenic euthanasia); or because the treatment of the disease implies a great financial expense for the family, which in turn cannot afford it (economic euthanasia).
Although some cultures accept euthanasia, most do not support this activity. Some penal codes consider euthanasia as a form of murder, but in some countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, it is considered a legal practice.
There are several arguments for and against euthanasia, with advocates mainly claiming that each individual should have the right to choose between living or dying with dignity, when you are aware that the state of your illness is so serious that it is not worth it to remain in suffering until the inevitable death arrive.
On the other hand, those who condemn euthanasia often use the religious argument that only God (the “Creator of the Universe") would have the right to give or take someone's life and, therefore, the doctor should not interfere in this "process sacred".
Types of Euthanasia
Active euthanasia and passive euthanasia
There are two forms of euthanasia practice: active and passive. THE active euthanasia it happens when resources are called for that can end the patient's life (lethal injection, overdosed medication, etc.).
At passive euthanasia, the patient's death occurs due to lack of resources necessary to maintain their vital functions (lack of water, food, drugs or medical care).
Orthothanasia and Dysthanasia
orthothanasia it is the act of stopping activities or treatments that artificially prolong life. This happens in cases where a person is in a coma or vegetative state, with no tendency for him to recover. It's a form of passive euthanasia. Orthothanasia is seen by many as a more natural death.
Learn more about the meaning of orthothanasia.
THE dysthanasia it is seen as the opposite of euthanasia, and refers to the act of prolonging the life of a person who has an incurable disease as much as possible. Dysthanasia often implies a slow and painful death.
See also the meaning of Dysthanasia.
Euthanasia in Brazil
Currently, in the Brazilian penal code, the practice of euthanasia is not stipulated. Therefore, a doctor who terminates a patient's life out of compassion commits the so-called “simple murder”, indicated in article 121, and is subject to a penalty of 6 to 20 years of imprisonment.
This is because the right to life is considered inviolable according to the Federal Constitution. Despite this, this is a very complex topic, and has been addressed by the committee of jurists working on a new Penal Code.
Even though it is prohibited in Brazil, there are some situations in which remnants of this practice are applied. For example, in the state of São Paulo, law 10,241 of 1999, grants the right to the user of a health service of reject a treatment that is considered painful and that only serves to prolong the patient's life terminal.