FAQ

Euthanasia is a complex subject, encompassing medical ethics, the law and religion. Here we answer some of the most commonly asked questions.

What does the word Euthanasia mean?
The word Euthanasia comes from the Greek language and literally means good death. It was once a word favored by campaign organizations, such as The American Euthanasia Society and The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (UK). However, events in Nazi Germany during WWII rewrote the meaning of the word. The euthanasia program, known as Aktion T4, began with the good death of a five month old child. What followed was the industrial murder of almost 300,000 sick, elderly and disabled patients. Euthanasia is still perhaps the most controversial… and dangerous word in the English language.
What is Involuntary Euthanasia?
Involuntary Euthanasia is the ending of a patient’s life, usually through the administering by a physician of excessive doses of opiates, such as Morphine. Involuntary Euthanasia is illegal worldwide as it is the equivalent of murder, though certain countries have contrived to make laws that circumvent that protection. Usually, it allows for the hastening of a patient’s death via excessive sedation, and relies solely on the physician’s opinion that the patient is indeed unlikely to make a recovery.
What is Passive Euthanasia?
Why is the Greek Philosopher Socrates so important?
What about the Hippocratic Oath?
Most are familiar with the Hippocratic Oath, though usually their knowledge is limited to the statement that physicians should First, do no harm. For centuries, it provided the fundamental basis of trust between patient and physician. The phrase is in fact a boiled down version of the original ancient text.
I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.
THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH – Classical Version
However, that assurance of benevolence has somewhat surreptitiously been removed from more modern versions of the Oath, with some medical schools even abandoning its use altogether.
Which Countries have the highest rates of Medical Euthanasia?
Do Russia and China allow Medical Euthanasia?
What does the Church have to say about Euthanasia
The Catholic Church has long been at the forefront of defending the sanctity of life. In the Letter Samaritanus bonus, endorsed by Pope Francis and published in 2020, the Congregation for the Doctine of the Faith stated that the Church reaffirms as definitive teaching that euthanasia is a crime against human life. Most other Christian denominations are similary opposed to euthanasia, though we live in an age where their senior clergy are under constant pressure to modify those views. A similar situation prevails among other world religions. While the last sentence may strike many as somewhat cursory, that is easily explained. The rush to embrace euthanasia is almost exclusive to Western society, with its predominant use of socialized medicine. And that should be food for thought for all…
What can I do if I think a relative has been a victim of Medical Euthanasia?
If you believe a relative or friend has been a victim of Medical Euthanasia, there are certain steps you can take. First, try contacting your local Medical Examiner or Coroner’s office. They may try to dismiss you as just another grieving relative, but persevere. If they decide to investigate, request that a toxicology report is conducted, as the presence of unusually high levels of opiates would help substantiate your claim. For instance, if the patient had no significant pain issues, then it would be very difficult for the physician/s involved to explain away those findings.