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Euthansia And Its Unfairness To The Poor Essay

Euthanasia has become a hotly contested subject in the last few decades. Some are against euthanasia or assisted-physician suicide. Others are for it. The essay titled: "Vulnerable People: Practical Rejoinders to Claims in Favor of Assisted-Suicide," written by Cohn and Lynn favors against legalizing physician assisted-suicide. I will argue that Cohn and Lynn's argument for denying legalization for physician-assisted suicide is sound. The first argument explains physician-assisted suicide may be something that people fear instead of favor due to the notion that someone else will dictate a person's life. To think that costs and excessive suffering could become the basis for determining whether a person should live or die is frightful. The authors especially made note of those who are poor when considering such thoughts. The poor cannot afford medical expenses like the middle or upper classes can. Therefore, if expenses contribute to the greenlight for a physician-assisted suicide, many poor people may end up killed simply because they would not be able to afford medical bills.

The added pressure to keep up with costs in the opinions of Lynn and Cohn would end up bankrupting families. Families that cannot afford supplemental insurance or pay out pocket would struggle continuously, creating stress and additional suffering for those not wishing to die or not wishing to lose a loved one. The "haves" or the ones that can afford continuous treatment,...

The seemingly practical option thus becomes a coercive option that the poor must face and the rich are immune to.
The argument is valid because in countries where euthanasia is allowed, euthanasia has become the option to get rid of poor people and has increased its pool of those they consider viable for euthanasia. "Countries that allow euthanasia have already fallen pretty far, allowing for children and people with mental illnesses to be killed" (Fiano, 2014). With countries that approved euthanasia becoming comfortable so quickly with killing several groups of people and not just the terminally ill elderly, it begs to consider just how beneficial euthanasia is for everyone. The fear is that poor people will be eliminated in great numbers due to their inability to pay bills and people like the Lithuanian health minister are making these fears a reality Lithuanian health minister Rimante Salaseviciute has recommended those who are terminally ill should be euthanized if they cannot afford to pay their medical bills.

The very thing that people were afraid of has become a reality in countries like Lithuania. Physician-assisted suicide instead of being practical option has become a forced option where those who cannot afford care could very well be euthanized even if their families wish against it. A way to rid the world of the sick and…

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AMA,. (2016). Opinion 2.21 - Euthanasia. Ama-assn.org. Retrieved 7 April 2016, from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion221.page?

Fiano, C. (2014). Lithuanian health minister pushing for euthanasia of the poor -- Live Action News. Live Action News. Retrieved 7 April 2016, from http://liveactionnews.org/lithuanian-health-minister-pushing-for-euthanasia-of-the-poor/
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