Everyone knows that euthanasia means ‘’good death’’ (from the Greek ευθανασία) and that is a very controversial matter, but few people know exactly what are the legal, moral and religious problems concerning euthanasia. Here we’re going to consider the legal aspects of the matter.
First of all, it’s necessary to distinguish between active and passive euthanasia. Active euthanasia is when a doctor uses lethal substances to help a patient to die because of his incurable pain, at the instance of the same patient. Passive euthanasia is when a doctor no longer gives medicines and other substances to an incurable patient who is going to die, at his instance or not 1. In the end it ‘’entails the withdrawing of life support’’ 2. The first kind of euthanasia has always been forbidden in Italy - it is considered murder (art. 579 and 580 of Italian Codice Penale). The second one is allowed if the patient is conscious and asks for the withdrawal of life support. The Living Will, proposed in Italy by Girolamo Sirchia, could definitely be the solution of the problem – it is a document in which a person states what to do in case of coma or incurable disease when he or she is still conscious 3.
Anyway, everyone has a different idea about euthanasia. People who are in favour of it focus the attention on the art. 2 and 32 of Italian Constitution, which highlight the importance of human dignity. People who are contrary to it state that the Italian Constitution recognizes just the right to live, not the right to die 4.
References:
1. Corriere della Sera, 25th April 2002, from http://www.ministerosalute.it/dettaglio/pdPrimoPiano.jsp?id=22&sub=2&lang=it
2. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutanasia
3. http://www.ministerosalute.it/dettaglio/pdPrimoPiano.jsp?sub=4&id=22&area=ministero%09%09%09%09&colore=2&lang=it
4. Antonio Baldassarre. Retrived April 27, 2009 from http://www.ilsussidiario.net/articolo.aspx?articolo=3843
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