Two of the larger stakeholder groups of euthanasia are the patients and the physicians. Majority of the patients, who are suffering from incurable and extremely painful disease agree that ending the suffering is more important than living in agony. However, adults believe that if euthanasia is legalized, it will affect also affect mentally ill patients. de Beaufort and van de Vathorst’s article on relationship between dementia and assisted suicide relies mainly on statistics from Netherlands which shows the increasing number of requests to get euthanized from patients diagnosed with dementia over time. As an evidence, they mention, “In the Netherlands in 2014, 81 people diagnosed with dementia opted for and were granted euthanasia, their doctors either administered them lethal drugs on their request or helped them by handing them the lethal drugs.” This data warns the audience of the serious threat that will be faced by countries who legalizes euthanasia (Refer to Table 1).
The physicians are the people who are given the responsibility and the power to euthanize a patient. The physicians break their Hippocratic Oath to perform an act which is contradictory to saving lives. People who advocate against euthanasia believe that if euthanasia is permitted, the power given to the physicians will be abused, leading them to hide their malpractice. The patients view this act as a homicide. To support this claim, Jason Goroncy believes that “‘the patient’s trust in the doctor’s wholehearted devotion to the patient’s best interests will be hard to sustain once doctors are licensed to kill’.” To order to save the patient’s decision and the physician’s reputation, the legalization of euthanasia will require strict regulation and hands on intervention from the government to ensure public’s safety.
The physicians are the people who are given the responsibility and the power to euthanize a patient. The physicians break their Hippocratic Oath to perform an act which is contradictory to saving lives. People who advocate against euthanasia believe that if euthanasia is permitted, the power given to the physicians will be abused, leading them to hide their malpractice. The patients view this act as a homicide. To support this claim, Jason Goroncy believes that “‘the patient’s trust in the doctor’s wholehearted devotion to the patient’s best interests will be hard to sustain once doctors are licensed to kill’.” To order to save the patient’s decision and the physician’s reputation, the legalization of euthanasia will require strict regulation and hands on intervention from the government to ensure public’s safety.