Arguments Against Euthanasia Research

Karen Ann Quinlan, a twenty-two year old from New Jersey, went to a friend’s birthday party at a club, took Diazepam and Quaalude, in addition to consuming alcohol while on a diet. Later that night, she went into a coma and was in and out of vegetative state for months. Her parents then asked the doctors to take her off the ventilator so she could die peacefully, but the physicians refused. Quinlan’s family took the situation to the courts, and then won so she was removed from the ventilator, and slowly died. Nine years later (Byrne). The doctors hypocritically refused to participate in the act of euthanasia because they could have gone to jail considering it is illegal in New Jersey. Challengers of euthanasia believe that it is inhumane and causes suffering on the family of the patient
CNN has a page all about the facts about euthanasia throughout the United States and it claims, “According to the 2015 Data Summary, as of January 27, 2016, prescriptions have been written for 1,545 people, and 991 patients have died from ingesting the drugs that were legally prescribed to them under the law” (“Physician-Assisted Suicide Fast Facts”). The option for euthanasia is there with Oregon laws, but since it is a prescribed drug, they are not required to take the drug, which is proper for the suffering. Patients are able to decide when they end their life like ALS patient, Fred Nelligan. “When Nelligan died Nov. 12, 2014, his wife held the syringe straight while Nelligan mustered all the remaining strength in his nearly useless arms to inject the necessary dose” (Harbarger). Nelligan knew that he did not want to suffer anymore and when he is so weak that he could not administer the drug on his own, that is when it is known that it was time to end his