Mercy killing (Essay Sample)

Mercy Killing
Brown Simon
Work Sample
21st December, 2013
MERCY KILLING
When one thinks of mercy killing, painless deaths tend to come up in the minds of many people but it’s not always that. Mercy killing is an act of relieving suffering and pain from someone by withdrawing medication from a terminally ill patient or by lethal injection. Mercy killing is also called ‘euthanasia’ meaning good death. This type of killing is condemned by Christian organizations and many people as murder. In my opinion, it is not right to take one’s life but in some circumstances mercy killing should be allowed. (Solomita & Stephen, 2009)
Mercy killing has its advantages and disadvantages. The process is known to relieve suffering for the patient and economic burden for the family members. In some cases, the diseases can be infectious to other people so when the patient is made to die, it reduces the chances of spreading. The process is also known to free the beds and other resources in the hospitals. (Solomita & Stephen, 2009)
People who go through the process of mercy killing are usually terminally ill. In some occasions, the patient may choose to die. All patients including the terminally ill ones ought to be given a right to live. In case a patient who is suffering decides to die, the patient should first be given counseling and if one still chooses to die, one should be allowed to choose on how and when to die. The voluntary euthanasia is still seen to give doctors a lot of power of taking one’s life. (Shiotsuki & Masao, 1987)
In some cases, the patient may be very ill to make a decision. The relatives get involved in decision-making for the patient. The patient might be incurable or deteriorating and the relatives may feel the agony of watching that and decide on mercy killing. In other cases the relatives may be tired of taking care of the patient so they decide on the process. It is wrong to abandon someone when ill and decide on mercy killing. The process should be used when necessary not as a priority. (Solomita & Stephen, 2009)
In my opinion, life is sacred and one should get a chance to live. People and doctors should advocate on opportunity and a chance to recover. We ne...