Euthanasia: A Perspective

Euthanasia: a regional perspective

81 ANNALS EDITORIAL It is paradoxical to talk about euthanasia when we are hearing people dying all over the world without willing to die such as in Iraq, Ukraine, Egypt, Palestine and so on. Life is full of contradictions, perplexing complexities, and infinite possibilities. If you ask anyone if he or she wants to die most likely you will get an answer 'no'. On the other hand, we hear every da...

Voluntary euthanasia: a utilitarian perspective.

Belgium legalised voluntary euthanasia in 2002, thus ending the long isolation of the Netherlands as the only country in which doctors could openly give lethal injections to patients who have requested help in dying. Meanwhile in Oregon, in the United States, doctors may prescribe drugs for terminally ill patients, who can use them to end their life--if they are able to swallow and digest them....

Understanding voluntary euthanasia: a personal perspective.

A Dutch perspective: the limits of lawful euthanasia.

Dutch author Ubaldus de Vries reviews the current state of the euthanasia law in the Netherlands. The legislation, enacted in 2001, creates a medical exception that allows for euthanasia in cases where patients experience "hopeless and unbearable suffering." A brief history of the Dutch approach to euthanasia is set forth, case law is reviewed, and the unique role of the doctor is examined in s...

Gas alternatives to carbon dioxide for euthanasia: a piglet perspective.

The search for alternative methods to euthanize piglets is critical to address public concern that current methods are not optimal. Scientific evidence supports that blunt force trauma is humane when performed correctly, but most people find it visually difficult to accept. The use of CO2 is often recommended; at the same time, it is criticized as being aversive to pigs. This research sought to...