Euthanasia care is a new and controversial topic that needs to be addressed. Most people end their lives in pain and suffering without their desires towards treatment options met. One study found that "more often than not, patients died in pain, their desires concerning treatment were neglected, after spending ten days in an intensive care unit (Horogan, 1)". Euthanasia originated from the Greek language eu, which means "good" and thanatos which means "death". One definition given to this term is "the intentional termination of life by another at the explicit request of the person who dies" ( religious tolerance,1 ) . Briefly this states that the person who wishes to commit suicide must request the death. In recent years the number of patients that have been facilitating the intensive care unit for periods of time, generally leading to a painful and uncomfortable death, has been on the up rise. Unfortunately most states and medical providers have failed to recognize this. Doctors and physicians are being addressed on their knowledge of palliative care and their readiness to successfully meet the needs of their patients before the time of their death. Despite increasing public sympathy for euthanasia, there is widespread confusion as to what it signifies. Many terminally ill patients turn to physician-assisted suicide not because they cannot be cured, but because they cannot bear the thought of physical pain. Terminally ill patients should be allowed to end their lives with dignity, physician assisted suicide idividual has dominion over their body and should be allowed to decide when to end their life." (Murphy, Jan. 00) "To achieve that end, with dignity and without pain, doctors should be allowed to aid terminal patients by providing necessary doses of drugs." (Murphy, Jan. 00) The choice lies solely in the hands of the patient; no outside force has any control over the decisions and steps that you take towards the care of your body.
