In which countries is euthanasia allowed? Types of euthanasia and its relation to it

In Greek, euthanasia is a "good death", and at all times the possibility of a seriously ill person to leave his life voluntarily, without suffering pain and torment, was supported or challenged by the religious, secular and medical community. Today we know in which countries euthanasia is allowed. Incidentally, even a special kind of medical tourism - suicidal tourism, that is, a trip for the opportunity to leave a life without legal delays - has been developed in them, by the way.

History

In fact, killing sick people and even children has been practiced at all times. The term has Greek roots, since it was the Greeks who first took the practice of finishing off wounded comrades on the battlefield so that they would not suffer from incurable trauma. We all remember the ancient Spartans who dropped sick or crippled children from the rock, not only to save themselves from their worries, but also to end the suffering of the child. By the way, such practices, according to studies of ethnographers, were also in use among ancient peoples, for example, the Far North or Oceania until the 19th century.

In the modern world before the Second World War, in some European countries there was no ban on euthanasia, and this did not contradict the moral and ethical principles of society. However, the fascist program T4, during which the Germans, fighting for the purity of the Aryan race, killing mentally retarded people and even children, as well as patients with mental disorders, discredited these ideas for the next 50 years.

Theory and practice of euthanasia

In the modern world, euthanasia is a humane cessation of the life of an incurably sick person with his consent (or his relatives) in order to save him from suffering. It is used mainly in cases when the patient's quality of life is at the lowest level and he is in pain, but there is no chance of recovery.

Also today there are two types of euthanasia:

• Passive - is used in cases when the patient is connected to the life support system. In this case, doctors simply turn off the person from the devices that support life. Most often this is done for patients in a deep coma with the permission of relatives.
• Active - the introduction of drugs to the patient, guaranteeing a quick and painless death. These are usually injections or drugs in liquid form, representing a cocktail of sedatives, barbiturates and anesthesia. This also includes cases where a doctor can provide a person with the necessary amount of medication for his independent withdrawal from life.

Different aspects of euthanasia

A difficult and terrible choice - to continue living with an incurable disease, experiencing pain and suffering, dooming them close, or to make a decision while a person is still able to think sensibly - that is the main question of euthanasia. The main stumbling blocks in matters of legalization are legal, ethical and religious.

The simplest aspect is legal. In countries where euthanasia is prohibited, it is regarded as murder. In some other countries, as such, euthanasia is not allowed, but it is applied, but is veiled under other procedures. This is done so that the doctor who conducts the procedure does not experience any problems with the law in the future.

It is more difficult with moral and religious aspects. On the one hand, it is suicide and murder, and in most religions this is a mortal sin, and even in the Soviet state there is a high pressure on a person in these matters. The state often can not assume responsibility and allow to dispose of another's life even with the permission of the patient. And many doctors do not dare to perform such duties, because they contradict not only the moral principles, but also the oath of Hippocrates.

In Russia

Speaking about the countries in which euthanasia is permitted, it is worth noting separately that the Russian Federation is not on this list. In our country this equates to murder by the degree of responsibility, and this issue is regulated by the Criminal Code and legislation, namely Federal Law No. 323 "On the fundamentals of protecting the health of citizens in the Russian Federation."

Given the countries in which euthanasia is allowed for foreigners, Russian citizens can only go on a recent trip to one of them. The last time in 2007, on behalf of the deputies, a proposal was made to amend the Criminal Code and allow euthanasia in Russia, but the proposal was met with violent indignation of the public and was withdrawn.

In which country is euthanasia allowed

After the brutal killing of millions of people by fascists, euthanasia was banned throughout the civilized world. Only 50 years later this question began to be raised in Europe. Thanks to this, today we know in which countries euthanasia is allowed. The list is as follows:

• Netherlands.
• Belgium.
• Luxembourg.
• Albania.
• Switzerland (only in Zurich).
• USA (only in the states of Vermont, Oregon, Washington, Georgia).
• Canada.

Having specified the countries in which euthanasia is permitted, we note that there are countries where there is no official legalization, however, precedents happen there. This is Japan and Colombia. In some countries, even in some cases, there are legal proceedings. Nevertheless, in these countries euthanasia is actually possible.

Modern Practice

In 1984, the Netherlands first legalized the right to voluntary withdrawal from the life of hard and painfully ill people. Following the Netherlands, other Benelux countries joined the practice , namely Belgium and Luxembourg. In Luxembourg, by the way, a patient intending to receive euthanasia must obtain the consent of two doctors at once. Here the doctors make and store the relevant records to prove that the decision to leave was taken by the patient or relatives, and not a mistake or a criminal will of the doctor himself.

In 1999, Albania allowed passive euthanasia for patients in a coma with the consent of three relatives. Despite the legislative approval of the procedure, the Catholic Church, which is very strong in the country, promotes the ban on euthanasia.

Since 2002, in Holland, children over 12 years have the right to euthanasia, and since 2014 in Belgium any age restrictions have been lifted, that is, even a child of any age can receive euthanasia with the consent of his parents or guardians.

Since the Netherlands and Belgium are countries with one of the most mild conditions for euthanasia, authorities out of fear of the flow of suicidal tourists made a number of reservations that tighten the conditions of the procedure. For example, it is implied that there should be a trusting relationship between the patient and the doctor.

Since 1941, euthanasia has been authorized in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. And here suicidal tourism is thriving, mostly citizens of England and Germany, knowing in which countries euthanasia is allowed, they go to Zurich for a lethal injection. Due to the softness of local laws, people literally stand in line for the opportunity to die. And until 2011, the question: "In which countries is euthanasia allowed for healthy, that is, not for terminally ill?" - the Swiss had the answer: "In Zurich." The rebellious public has forced the government to adopt appropriate amendments, and now only seriously ill people around the world can face death here.

In 2016, Canada lifted a ban on the doctor's help in committing suicide to incurable patients. Now the bill passes formal approvals. However, according to it not all patients can get this right, but only degenerate ones, that is, those whose tragic end is close and undeniable. That is, for example, people suffering from multiple sclerosis can not be helped to walk out of life by law, as well as those who suffer severe pains without specific forecasts on how many people will live.

Points for and against

Throughout the world, opponents and supporters of euthanasia lead unquestioned arguments in defense of their position. And such a complex and serious question for every argument for has an opposite argument against.

And the first argument for euthanasia says that life is good only when it makes sense and brings happiness, which is exactly deprived, for example, terminal patients. A negative argument says that the choice is not between a happy and unhappy life, but between existence in principle and the cessation of it in any form. Undoubtedly, the termination of life is difficult to consider a boon.

For euthanasia, they say, and those who know how expensive and difficult to support the life of a seriously ill person or a disabled person and a comatose. Especially if you try to ensure a normal quality of life. Opponents usually reply that the economic aspect still does not allow to reconcile the murder with the moral and ethical norms of modern mankind.

Knowing in which countries euthanasia is permitted and why, it is difficult not to agree that these are developed and prosperous countries with a high standard of living, where exactly the quality of this life comes to the forefront. And the loss of this quality entails a loss of interest in life as such. Perhaps this explains the loyal laws that allow euthanasia to be applied to children or patients not in the terminal stage of the disease.

Opinion of the public and doctors about the problem

Despite the fact that public figures, politicians, the medical world deny euthanasia in the vast majority of countries, the public as a whole is not opposed to such an idea. So, according to a survey of Russian Internet users, 50 percent of respondents do not see anything terrible in euthanasia and consider it one of the human rights to freedom of choice.

Psychologists believe that this is due to the personal attitudes of most people who, in case of an incurable disease, would not want to become a burden to relatives and suffer torment.

Surveys of medical portals conducted among young doctors show a similar division in the professional sphere - only half of respondents in general for the use of euthanasia, including in Russia.

The loudest cases in the modern world

In 1939, the well-known Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud voluntarily passed away with the assistance of his doctor. Freud suffered from an incurable form of oral cancer and, before he died, suffered more than 30 operations to remove tumors. And they were conducted under local anesthesia, since then general anesthesia in such cases has not yet been applied.

Belgian writer Hugo Klaus, using the loyal laws of his country, took euthanasia, although he had only the first stage of cancer. But the French teacher Chantal Sebir, whose face was disfigured by a rare form of tumor, did not get the right to voluntary withdrawal from life in her native country, she intended to go to Switzerland knowing the countries in which euthanasia is permitted. However, in 2008 she committed suicide by injection of barbiturates.

Loud scandal caused and euthanasia of two brothers shoemakers, who began to lose sight and could not accept that they will never see each other again. Despite the absence of a serious illness, they received lethal injections in Switzerland.