Euthanasia has always been a controversial issue round the world. Ending the life of an individual?s suffering from a terminal disease or in an irreversible coma is not considered by all as something outrageous but many people are against euthanasia because they think that life is a gift from God and we have no right to end someone?s life. They consider this as a murder and as immoral.

People who are in favour of euthanasia think that it is better for someone to die in dignity instead of staying alive through artificial machines. Euthanasia can also be described as mercy killing as some patients are suffering too much and ending their life would mean ending their pain. Personally, I think euthanasia should be legalized.

In India, the ethical debate on this issue is still continuing but it is much desirable when the patient himself is asking to die. The only state where euthanasia is legalised is Oregon. However, it may not be such a great idea as there are many cases in which people have recovered from terminal diseases by miracle.

Such an example is a woman in US who, though brain-damaged, talked after twenty years. If, at that time, euthanasia was legalized, this woman would have died. So, we can say that organisations such as International Anti-Euthanasia Task Force and Citizens United Against Euthanasia have reasons to react as they are.

Legalising euthanasia can be very dangerous because sometimes people can take advantage of it, as a nurse in Somerville, New Jersey did. Behind the façade of a nurse, the man was a serial killer and he claimed that he was killing people suffering too much but this was not the case. He has been given eleven life sentences.

Among physicians, lawyers, religious people and the general public, there is still confusion about euthanasia. They want to make a difference between letting somebody die and killing on purpose. In Canada and other states, it is illegal, except in extreme cases.

Therefore, doctors are not prosecuted for euthanasia, if the patients were terminally ill, had continuously and lucidly asked to die, if the doctors had consulted other senior physicians or if patients? families had already been consulted and had accepted. There was a case in 2000 where the husband agreed for the doctors to put an end to his wife?s life but the wife?s family disagreed. The case was taken to court and, after five years, the case went in favour of euthanasia.

If in these five years the woman remained in a coma, then why should they continue to pay to keep her alive? And, sometimes doctors refuse the treatment as patients are suffering too much and if a doctor and a patient have been in treatment for a long time then euthanasia should be legal. But still religions such as Islam, Christianity and others are against euthanasia.

Euthanasia should be legalised because putting an end to an individual?s life, it would not only end the patient?s pain but also his family?s pain. Instead of dying everyday, the person would die peacefully by just switching off the artificial machine that is prolonging the patient?s life.

Benisha JHUGUR