Passive euthanasia is less controversial because there is not a chance for a person to recover. Passive euthanasia could also be signing a living will. A person states his wish to die if ever placed on a life-support system. This also eliminates a doctor's legal responsibility for a person's death.
Active euthanasia is taking one's own life with another's assistance. This is more controversial because a doctor can be held accountable for the patient's death. Many people consider active euthanasia murder but in all reality it is not because it is a dying wish of a person. .
Euthanasia became an important topic among many doctors and many people who were suffering from diseases like cancer, AIDS, etc. Doctors began to consider euthanasia as an option to "cure" people from suffering. It was then that doctors realized that euthanasia might be humane.
In 1991, a New York doctor risked losing his license from the Health Department. The doctor prescribed a lethal amount of barbiturates to longtime patient at the patient's request. There were no charges of misconduct brought against him. The Doctor was brought against the board of review. After talking with the Doctor and the patient's family the board agreed that the decision to take an overdose of prescribed drugs was "ultimately a decision left to the patient." The ruling is a clear indication of need for pro-euthanasia law.
After this case, there were many seminars held to discuss euthanasia. Doctors published medical journals focusing specifically on euthanasia. In these medical journals Doctors argued in favor of euthanasia. Doctors described their personal accounts of doctors helping patients end their lives. If doctors are publishing their illegal participation in euthanasia, then this clearly shows a need for a pro-euthanasia law.
Many often wonder when euthanasia is considered the best choice. Polls taken between the years of 1989-1990 found that 5-7 Americans of every 10 believe that the terminally ill should be able to die with the doctor's assistance legally.
