Policy Press
Nineteen Ethics and euthanasia
Abstract
Public support for laws that allow medical practitioners to end life by active measures has risen in recent years, but the medical profession in the UK has been reluctant to endorse this development. The obvious benefits to a few people who experience extremes of suffering towards the end of life need to be balanced against the interests of those who might feel pressurised to opt for death in a society where euthanasia becomes an acceptable and well-known solution to the problems of old age. Additionally, the effect on practitioners (usually doctors) who are called on to administer lethal treatments requires consideration. This chapter reports surveys of the relatives and friends of people who have died, as well as surveys of medical practitioners, to provide empirical evidence that deepens understanding of how moral and ethical dilemmas play themselves out in practice.
Abstract
Public support for laws that allow medical practitioners to end life by active measures has risen in recent years, but the medical profession in the UK has been reluctant to endorse this development. The obvious benefits to a few people who experience extremes of suffering towards the end of life need to be balanced against the interests of those who might feel pressurised to opt for death in a society where euthanasia becomes an acceptable and well-known solution to the problems of old age. Additionally, the effect on practitioners (usually doctors) who are called on to administer lethal treatments requires consideration. This chapter reports surveys of the relatives and friends of people who have died, as well as surveys of medical practitioners, to provide empirical evidence that deepens understanding of how moral and ethical dilemmas play themselves out in practice.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables, figures and boxes v
- List of contributors vi
- Introduction 1
-
Ethics: Research and provision in health and social care
- Ethics and contemporary challenges in health and social care 19
- Ethical issues in health and social care research 35
- Ethics: research governance for health and social care 53
- Ethics and primary health care 69
- Ethics and social care: political, organisational and interagency dimensions 83
- Ethics and interprofessional care 97
- Service users and ethics 113
-
Law, management and ethics in health and social care
- Ethical and legal perspectives on human rights 127
- Multidisciplinary team practice in law and ethics: an Australian perspective 143
- Ethics and the management of health and social care 157
- Ethics and the social responsibility of institutions regarding resource allocation in health and social care: a US perspective 169
- Ethics and charging for care 185
-
Ethics: From the start of life to the end
- Ethical challenges and the new technologies of reproduction 201
- Ethics: caring for children and young people 213
- Ethical dilemmas in caring for people with complex disabilities 229
- Mental health: safe, sound and supportive? 243
- Ethics and older people 255
- Ethics and euthanasia 269
- Conclusion 283
- Index 301
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables, figures and boxes v
- List of contributors vi
- Introduction 1
-
Ethics: Research and provision in health and social care
- Ethics and contemporary challenges in health and social care 19
- Ethical issues in health and social care research 35
- Ethics: research governance for health and social care 53
- Ethics and primary health care 69
- Ethics and social care: political, organisational and interagency dimensions 83
- Ethics and interprofessional care 97
- Service users and ethics 113
-
Law, management and ethics in health and social care
- Ethical and legal perspectives on human rights 127
- Multidisciplinary team practice in law and ethics: an Australian perspective 143
- Ethics and the management of health and social care 157
- Ethics and the social responsibility of institutions regarding resource allocation in health and social care: a US perspective 169
- Ethics and charging for care 185
-
Ethics: From the start of life to the end
- Ethical challenges and the new technologies of reproduction 201
- Ethics: caring for children and young people 213
- Ethical dilemmas in caring for people with complex disabilities 229
- Mental health: safe, sound and supportive? 243
- Ethics and older people 255
- Ethics and euthanasia 269
- Conclusion 283
- Index 301
