Euthanasia faces ethical and legal dilemmas in China
Zhang Jianbo jumped out of the five floor’s window of Shuguang Hospital in Changsha. He had been suffering from late-stage throat cancer, and had pleaded with doctors for assisted suicide. "Our job is to save lives, and we don't have the right to mercy killing," said an official at the Changsha hospital. I think death with dignity is people’s desire. Everyone wants to die as human being, but it can’t take all people. The right-to-die debate has been brewing in China for some years. Many people argue that it is a rational choice for human dignity when a patient is terminally ill and the pain afflicting him is unbearably agonizing. It should be the patient's right to make such an end-of-life decision. Denying him this right is inhumane as it prolongs the suffering, exacerbates the situation for the family and results in a waste of medical resources. Euthanasia toward to abuse in China, There is no safety net for poor patients.
On the other hand, Can doctor agree with prescribe assistance to suicide? Like given a patient some sleeping pills for help to end of patient’s life? I believe all patients are fighting for their illness. They need encouragement to fight their illness. I never heard about doctor that will not help to cure and save patients. However, Medical staffs are not well-trained to make such a judgment, technically or morally. A survey by Beijing Youth Daily found that over eighty per cent of people regard euthanasia as an act of mercy rather than cruelty. Eighty per cent of people agree to euthanasia. I don’t know about the other countries, but some Europe countries have a law of euthanasia. They admit to people’s death in a law, they protect patients’ free will. I want to say that when people get in a hospital, they are really nervous, they start negative thinking. If the feeling have all patients, hospital possibly help to hire some people who talk with patients and relief the patient’s negative thinking. I think it will decrease the number of people who giving up their life in the hospital. Money problem having every people, medical expense is always high price high grade care need high price, sound like sad for me. Medical expense can’t solve by our selves, only Government can help. For example, in Canada they are really high tax (fifteen per cent) on goods, and in Quebec’s income tax is fifty-one percent. It is absolutely high level in the world, but their tax is very useful in people living in Canada.
However, my idea can’t solve the problem, if Government pays more money for medical expense. It is hard to watch who become weak for own family. My grand mother was cancer. Before she past away, she was getting thin and her body changed yellow. I don’t want to see her, because it was really painful her arm had some drips, her mouth was opened, and she was so weak. However, I don’t think about euthanasia. When doctor said she can’ hang around any days, but I still believe she is going to be OK. I never think I will lose my grand mother, so maybe that is a reason. Family member have to stand up to their position when it is pain. Patients have more pain as we have. Here is a Zhu Tiezhi, a media commentator, suggests the right-to-die prerequisites: the applicant must have a terminal illness that causes agonizing pain, and the diagnosis must be verified by at least two doctors; the applicant must be in a clear state of mind when he applies for it, and the application process should be repeated at least twice to make sure it is not a spur-of-the-moment thought.
People can’t this problem, but it is important to live as hard as possible.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200310/27/print20031027_126921.html
