ed the Institute for Ethics, designed to educated physicians on alternative medical approaches to euthanasia during the dying process (www.pregnantpause.org/euth/amagomez.htm).Suicide has been legal in Scotland for quite some time, and since 1961 has been legal in the rest of the United Kingdom. Assisting another in their plight for suicide is still illegal, however. The law seems to tolerate the act of suicide but not the means to do so. The refusal of a person to control his or her own life is immoral. It is an exploitation of that person’s rights as a human being. That should be illegal (www.euthan-asia.org/ve.html). Holland, or the Netherlands, is the only country currently allowing openly practiced euthanasia. It is not allowed by statute, but the law acknowledges that doctors will abide by a set of guidelines. By Dutch definition of euthanasia, “it is the termination of life by a doctor at the express wish of a patient.” Under guidelines, the request must be voluntary, explicit, carefully considered, and made repeatedly by the patient. Also, the patient’s suffering must be unbearable with no signs of improvement of health. The assistance by a doctor is not euthanasia, but a relief of pain administered by a doctor. There is an injection to make the patient comatose, followed by a second injection to stop the heart (www.euthanasia.org/dutch.html). Holland has the highest standard of care in the world with 95% of their citizens receiving private insurance. The rest of the population is guaranteed the highest level of care. The palliative care system is very advanced, with centers, also known as hospices, attached to hospitals. Most patients know their doctor very well, and euthanasia is accepted as a humane way to die. There is no reward for this, except for the relief of pain. Deciding to commit suicide is a private choice which society should have no concern. A study in 1974 showed that 93...
