The right to euthanasia: for or against?

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to determine the feasibility of introducing euthanasia in Ukraine based on the analysis of world experience. Euthanasia is the most controversial and ambiguous topic of scientifi research, which is on the brink of medicine and law. Euthanasia is the type of behavior of the medical offir (action, inaction or decision) committed consciously and intentionally, and also aimed at ending the unbearable suffring (physical, mental, moral and other characters), carried out on a repeated and unambiguous request of the patient (and his legal representative), subject to his complete, timely and objective awareness of the consequences of such interference resulting from the death of the patient. In the world there is no single approach to the issues of legalization of euthanasia. Today, the tendency towards legalization of passive euthanasia in the legal order of some economically developed countries is developing. However, this was preceded by a serious social controversy on this issue with the widest possible involvement of it, in the law, medicine, bioethics, philosophy, sociology and other sciences. However, in spite of the established trends, euthanasia in none of its forms can be considered as a suffient legal basis for depriving a person of his life and the corresponding termination of his right to life. The priority direction of development should be not the legalization of euthanasia, but the development of palliative care, which aims to eliminate pain and provide comprehensive support to patients, members of their families, and others.

Keywords

• euthanasia
• right to die
• legal status