With new medical advances in technology, there has been a push from the legal, medical and political communities to re-examine the policies of end-of-life-care. End-of-life-care (EOLC) is a term that refers to not only a patient’s final hours of life, but also the medical care of individuals with terminal illnesses or conditions that have become advanced and incurable. For the purpose of this paper, I will be referring to physician-assisted death and active euthanasia as forms of end-of-care. The Politics of End-of –Life-Care: Active Euthanasia and Physician-assisted Death examines the political disjuncture between the evidence presented in favour of active euthanasia (AE), physician-assisted death (PAD) and the current practice of refusing to grant AE and PAD legal status in Canada. It will examine the political dynamics underlying the disjuncture using political pressure groups, constructivism, rational choice, institutionalism and structuralism. There is empirical evidence that demonstrates support for the legalization of AE and PAD. Sixty-seven percent of Canadians support AE /PAD and 80 percent support allowing physicians to assist in AE and PAD (Angus Reid 2012) however, Parliament has not legalized AE/PAD and the CMA has not sanctioned AE /PAD. The two sides of the debate have clearly communicated their arguments. The arguments on each side are strong and have merit. Conversely, the arguments against AE and PAD appear to hold more weight with institutions than with the public. This thesis examines a number of different reasons for why AE/PAD remains illegal in Canada despite society’s widespread support for AE/PAD. The results of the research found no one method explains the disjuncture between the evidence presented in favour of active euthanasia and the current practice of refusing to grant it legal status. However, discursive institutionalism does help elites to generate and communicate the discourse of AE and PAD. It also explains how discourse can also occur from the bottom which results in a new discourse. For example, physicians, politicians, and the public who have deviated from the accepted discourse on AE and PAD can help to create a new discourse regarding AE and PAD policies.

In the bioethics literature, arguments about the nature of the distinction between killing and “letting die” seem irresolvable. There is a disparity between the dominant (consequentialist) opinion on this issue and that of the medical profession. No previous studies have investigated how doctors who work with the dying understand the distinction in the medical context. The aim of my research was to explore the moral reasoning of these clinicians in relation to this question. A focused ethnographic study involved thirty Melbourne doctors (thirteen palliative care physicians, nine oncologists, six intensivists, and two advocates of physician-assisted suicide) of whom eighteen were male and twelve female, with an age range from 31 to 77 years. Half had a religious belief (Jewish or Christian) and half were atheist/agnostic. (For complete abstract open document)

Thesis (S.T.L.)--Catholic University of America, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [92]-110).

Thesis (M.A.)--Harding Graduate School of Religion, Memphis, Tennessee, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-185).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kent State University, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. (Aug. 9, 2006) Advisors: Steven R. Brown, Jennifer P. Maxwell. Keywords: PAS, physician-assisted suicide, ethics and public policy, euthanasia, end of life policies, the right to die debate, Q methodology. Includes bibliographical references (p. 161- 173).

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1993. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-91).

Abstract Introduction and Background: Euthanasia has expanded significantly around the world over the past years. The debate concerning euthanasia has focused on the legalization, complex issues faced by the medical team, and perspective on assisted dying. Euthanasia known as assisted suicide is a deliberate medical procedure of intentionally withholding treatment or withdrawing life-support measures to end the life of a suffering patient. Purpose Statement: To define euthanasia and its background as well as discuss the psychological and moral effects that surround the subject. Literature Review: Five articles were selected. Quantitative and exploratory qualitative studies were obtained from existing literature, collection of data and statistics from relevant publications, peer-reviewed analysis, and original research papers with a focus on psychological and moral effects on participating, healthcare professionals. Findings: Participation in euthanasia can have significant emotional and psychological impacts on participating healthcare professionals which can lead to long-term personal and professional effects. Some are unsupportive of this practice while some were supportive of it. Conclusion: Despite the importance of this topic to medical practice, there are limited studies on addressing the psychological and moral impacts of euthanasia on participating healthcare professionals. Future research needs to explore how health professionals are negatively emotionally affected by their involvement in assisted suicide

When looking at the natural course of life, death is the natural conclusion. Majority of the time, people do not choose when and how they die. Death and dying are topics that are difficult to discuss for many individuals. However, when one decides to choose the context of their death, it raises many ethical considerations. Psychiatry, as a field, looks at the psychodynamics of death and dying for individuals. It is also poised to comment on the growing use of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia for psychiatric disorders. Through a review of the literature, theories in psychiatry regarding the dying process are used to better understand an individual's choice for choosing euthanasia as a medical intervention to end their suffering from a long-standing psychiatric illness. The use of palliative care in conjunction with psychiatry is also explored. / Urban Bioethics

Kiekvienos valstybės viena iš prioritetinių politikos krypčių yra visuomenės ir asmens sveikata. Tačiau, kad ir stengiamasi užtikrinti žmogaus sveikatos apsaugą, kiekvieną dieną visame pasaulyje žmonės neišvengiamai susiduria su mirtimi. Kai kuriose valstybėse, kalbant apie nepagydomai sergančius ligonius, kurie kenčia didelius skausmus ar apie komos ištiktus žmones, vis dažniau iškeliamas eutanazijos klausimas, kuris dažnai apibrėžiamas kaip sąmoningas žmogaus gyvybės atėmimas kiek įmanoma švelnesnėmis priemonėmis, atliekamas vien marinamojo labui. Vis dėlto eutanazijos įteisinimo klausimas yra opus ir visada lydimas aršių debatų tarp jos šalininkų bei priešininkų. Šio darbo tikslas yra aptarti eutanazijos įteisinimo aspektus bei ištirti Lietuvos visuomenės požiūrį aprašomo reiškinio atžvilgiu. Visas pirmasis darbo skyrius skirtas teorinio modelio aprašymui. Šio skyriaus poskyriuose, atliekant mokslinės literatūros analizę, aptariami viešosios politikos formavimo ir interesų grupių teoriniai modeliai, kuriais grindžiamas šis darbas. Antroji dalis skirta eutanazijos politikai apžvelgti. Poskyriuose aptariamas eutanazijos reiškinys, jos rūšys ir interesų grupių argumentai už ir prieš eutanazijos politiką. Taip pat analizuojami ir lyginami eutanazijos įteisinimo atvejai Nyderlanduose ir Belgijoje. Trečioji dalis skirta praktinei darbo pusei aprašyti. Pristatomas Lietuvoje atliktas empirinis kiekybinis tyrimas, kuriuo buvo siekiama ištirti Lietuvos visuomenės – medikų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Public and personal health is one of the priority policies of every state. However, despite the attempt to ensure the protection of human health, every day people in all over the world inevitably come face to face with death. While talking about the incurable patients, who suffer from severe pain or are in coma, some countries raise the question of euthanasia, which is often defined as the intentional taking of a person‘s life for the good of that person by the means as delicate as possible. However, the legitimation of euthanasia is a sensitive issue, always accompanied by the savage debates between its supporters and opponents. The aim of this work is to discuss the aspects of the legitimation of euthanasia and to investigate the attitude of Lithuanian society towards the described phenomenon. The first part of this paper discloses the theoretical description of the model. Using the analysis of scientific literature, the subchapters discuss the theoretical models of public policy formation and interest groups, on which this work is based. The second part reviews the policy of euthanasia. The subchapters discuss the phenomenon of euthanasia, its types and the arguments of interest groups for and against the policy of euthanasia. Moreover, the cases of the legitimation of euthanasia in the Netherlands and Belgium are analyzed and compared. The third chapter is devoted to the practical part of the work. The quantitative empirical study accomplished in Lithuania, which has... [to full text]

Eutanazija – vienas labiausiai diskutuotinų reiškinių tiek Lietuvoje, tiek ir visame pasaulyje. Dėl šio reiškinio specifiškumo – kito asmens gyvybės atėmimo altruistiniais tikslais, siekiant išvaduoti jį nuo nepakeliamų kančių, kyla daug pagrįstų klausimų jo kriminalizavimo prasme. Daugumoje pasaulio valstybių eutanazija kriminalizuota, ir tik absoliuti mažuma šalių eutanaziją yra legalizavusios. Lietuvoje eutanazija taip pat laikoma nusikalstama veika. Tačiau kyla klausimų ar ši nusikalstama veika negalėtų būti legalizuota, nes daugelio teisės specialistų nuomone, eutanazija laikytina nepavojinga nusikalstama veika. Šio darbo tikslas - ištirti eutanazijos reiškinio Lietuvos Respublikoje teisinį reglamentavimą ir jo kriminalizavimo pagrįstumą bei nustatyti šios nusikalstamos veikos baudžiamumo ribas. Atsižvelgiant į šio darbo tikslą, pirmiausia siekta pateikti objektyvią ir praktinę patirtį turinčių specialistų nuomonę, kaip galimai glaudžiausiai susiduriančių su eutanazijos reiškiniu. Todėl buvo atliekamas sociologinis tyrimas apklausiant Lietuvos Respublikos teisininkus ( teisėjus, advokatus, prokurorus ), gydytojus, ir psichologus, bei imami interviu iš minėtų sričių specialistų. Buvo siekiama sužinoti kokiu požiūriu šie specialistai vadovaujasi, kokios priežastys tai įtakoja, kokias kliūtis įžvelgia eutanazijai esant kriminalizuotai, tiek ją legalizavus, taip pat sužinoti kitus dalykus padedančius ištirti eutanazijos reiškinį bei jo baudžiamumą. Be minėtų dalykų, šiame... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Euthanasia – one of the most discussed issues in Lithuania and around the world. Specificity of this phenomenon - killing another person with altruistic purposes in order to liberate him from the unbearable suffering, raises ciminalization reasonabily questions of this issue. Euthanasia is criminalized in most countries of the world, and only absolute minority of counties have legalized it. In the Republic of Lithuania, euthanasia is also a criminal act. But there are many arising questions about legalizing it, becouse it is not a serious crime, according to the experts of the law. The purpose of this work is to investigate the legal regulation and reasonability of criminalization of phenomenon of euthanasia in the Republic of Lithuania and to determine the punishibility limits of this criminal act. According to this purpose, it is primarily aimed to provide objective and practical experienced opinion of specialists, possibly the closest to experiencing the phenomenon of euthanasia. Therefore, sociological research was done which was carried out by surveys to the lawyers ( judges, lawyers, prosecutors), physicians, and psychologists of the Republic of Lithuania, also an interviews were taken from the experts of the profession aforesaid. It was aimed to find out, in terms of what these profesionals follow, what are the reasons that influenced it, what kind of disatvantages sees of the criminality or legality of euthanasia, and other important things that could help to... [to full text]