What if you had the right to choose your own ending?

The beginning of the end

(fyiteam)

The right to die, in cases where a patient suffers from an incurable illness, is an ethical, philosophical, and political issue that has been debated from Ancient Greece to the 21st century.

Today, many countries, including certain European ones, have legalized, under specific conditions, two forms of ending a patient’s life: physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Physician-assisted suicide

(fyiteam)

When a person ends their life with medical assistance, with the patient taking the “final step” themselves.

The patient must make a request, after which multiple assessments by different specialists are made to determine whether the case follows the legal framework of each country.

In most cases, the doctor prescribes medication that the patient takes, either in the presence of a doctor and others or alone.

Euthanasia

(fyiteam)

When a doctor causes the death of a patient, it is called euthanasia.

It involves either an action by the doctor, such as a lethal injection (active), or the discontinuation of treatment/medical support (passive).

It can be either at the patient’s request (voluntary) or at the request of family members if the patient is in a condition (e.g., persistent coma) or age (minor) where they cannot consent (non-voluntary).

Euthanasia initiated by the doctor (involuntary) is illegal.

Conditions

(fyiteam)

Each country has its own legislation. In cases of physician-assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia, patients must:

Suffer from an incurable disease (e.g., with a life expectancy of 6 months or 1 year)
Be “of sound mind”
Express their desire to end their life voluntarily (i.e., without coercion) and repeatedly.

In some countries, an incurable disease is not required, but the patient must be in “unbearable pain” due to a chronic physical or mental illness.

Which countries have legislation on this matter?

(fyiteam)

Stats

(fyiteam)

As of 2021, the countries with the highest number of deaths by euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide were:

Canada -> 10,064 (up from 4,480 in 2018)
Netherlands -> 7,666 (up from 6,126 in 2018)
Belgium -> 2,699 (up from 2,357 in 2018)
USA -> 1,300+ (up from 850+ in 2018)

According to the most recent available data for each country, the highest per capita death rate from euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide in 2023 was in the Netherlands: 9,068, or 1 in 20 deaths (5%).

Greece

(fyiteam)

In our country, both active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are crimes punishable by imprisonment.

However, Greek law recognizes the patient’s right to stop treatment, even if it means they will die, thus allowing voluntary passive euthanasia.

Arguments in favor

(fyiteam)

There are several arguments in favor of euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide. The three main ones are:

Reducing human suffering
Ensuring quality of life and dignity in death
Respect for bodily autonomy and personal freedom

Arguments against

(fyiteam)

Pressure on patients to end their lives (e.g., to save their families money or to avoid being a “burden”)
Concerns regarding the limitation of palliative care* due to higher costs
Fears that legalizing it could open be slippery slope, expanding the criteria and causing vulnerable social groups (e.g., those with mental health issues or disabilities) to turn to this solution*Relief of symptoms in patients with incurable diseases