Euthanasia, specifically voluntary euthanasia has been a taboo subject for many decades in this, and other countries. Euthanasia, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary – bringing about of this, especially in the case of incurable and painful disease- comes from the Greek word euthanatos, meaning – a gentle and easy death. It is commonly known as death with dignity given to those who want the choice to die. No one can prevent death. The can only prolong it. Many people solicit their physicians to aid in the quick and easy death. Doctors, aware of ethics of their chosen profession, and consequences of their actions, especially malpractice suits, often refuse the request (www.euthanasia.org/ve.html). Involuntary euthanasia removes those people with a poor quality of life. Those people should have the right to die against their will, argue some health care providers. Ultimately, if no written living will has been left, the decision should fall on that person’s family. Health care providers declare that if a person has poor quality of life and their life is not worth living, they should not be given lifesaving treatment, regardless of the family’s opinion. They attest that they have the right to deny treatment requested by a patient if they think it is of no benefit to them, even if the patient wishes to have continued life. The physician’s role is to make a diagnosis, and sound judgments about medical treatment, not whether the patient’s life is worth living. They have an obligation to perform sufficient care, not to refrain from giving the patient food and water until that person dies. “Lucid individuals probably cannot anticipate what aggressive measures they would want for themselves should they become demented ...should allow the health care team to make unilateral decision to withhold CPR from severely demented patients...because of poor quality of life” – Dr....
