For The Exclusive,
By Poonam Cheleri Niduvat
@poonam_cn
Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. The complexities surrounding it demands careful consideration of ethical, moral, and legal decisions.
End-of-life care should prioritize enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing terminal illnesses. As a medical student, my point-of-view aligns with a holistic approach that focuses on pain management, emotional support, and maintaining dignity. Palliative care, when integrated early in the course of illness, allows patients to navigate their final stages with comfort and a sense of control over their own narrative.
While I empathize with the desire for autonomy and the right to make decisions about one's own life, I approach euthanasia with caution. The ethical principle of beneficence, doing good for the patient, often clashes with the principle of non-maleficence, avoiding harm. The potential for abuse, coercion, and errors in prognosis raises concerns about the unintended consequences of legalizing euthanasia.
All the more, legalizing euthanasia may inadvertently shift the focus from improving end-of-life care to offering a hastened exit, potentially undermining the broader goals of compassionate and comprehensive patient support.
In conclusion, I advocate for an approach to end-of-life care that prioritizes palliative interventions, emphasizes patient autonomy through informed decision-making, and ensures access to comprehensive support services. While understanding the desire for control over one's destiny, I believe the focus should remain on optimizing the quality of life and ensuring a dignified and compassionate transition for individuals facing the inevitable challenges of terminal illness.
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