The Evolution of Mercy Killing Laws > 자유게시판

The topic of euthanasia or assisted dying has been a subject of intense debate and discussion for a long period of time, with the first recorded instance of a physician giving a patient a lethal dose of herbs in ancient Egypt around 600 BCE. However, euthanasia or mercy killing as a distinct medical practice has its roots in the work of Dutch doctor Victor Frankenstein, who founded the Red Cross and advocated for medical assistance in ending the life of a patient suffering from a chronic illness.

In modern history, the euthanasia debate began to gain currency in the 20th century, with countries starting to consider and pass laws that allowed assisted dying. The first country to do so was the Switzerland in 1988, when a court decision granted a terminally ill patient a request to die. In 1983, the Netherlands adopted a euthanasia law allowing doctors to end the lives of patients with life-threatening illnesses if the patient requested it after consulting with a doctor and nembutal kaufen schweiz another professional, such as a social worker.

Switzerland, a country known for its permissive attitudes towards assisted dying, followed the Netherlands' lead and introduced its own euthanasia law in 1922. Under Swiss law, patients with debilitating illnesses could request euthanasia if they were mentally competent. In recent years, Australia has taken steps to improve its euthanasia laws, allowing the families of patients to request euthanasia and permitting the use of lethal drugs in a more limited capacity.

In other parts of the world, countries have taken different approaches to euthanasia legislation. In some nations, such as the United Kingdom, state-by-state laws govern the practice of assisted dying. In Washington, which became the first Canadian state to legalize assisted dying in 2007, patients with terminal illnesses can request a lethal dose of medication from a doctor if they are terminally ill.

Canada is also a pioneer in the debate on euthanasia legislation. In 2018, it became the second country in the world to adopt a law on medically assisted dying, known as Bill C-14. Under this law, adults with a terminal illness or incurable and unrelenting medical conditions who meet specific criteria can request medical assistance in dying. The law also requires that two medical professionals assess the patient and provide their consent for the euthanasia.

Despite the progress made in the euthanasia debate in recent years, there are still countries where assisted dying is not only punished but also severely punished. Many European nations have harsh laws prohibiting euthanasia, and in some cases, people found guilty of performing euthanasia may face the death penalty.

In these countries, traditional practices are often emphasized over medical care, with many people relying on traditional healing rather than medical interventions.

However, as countries around the world struggle with the complexity of euthanasia legislation, a rapidly expanding trend is emerging towards reforming assisted dying laws. The debate on euthanasia is likely to continue, with proponents arguing that patients have the legitimate claim to choose how and when they die, while opponents claim that such laws could lead to a slip towards euthanasia on demand.