Ameeta Jaiswal

The Ethical Perspective of Euthanasia: a Study of the Views of Medical Practitioners in Bihar Ameeta Jaiswal

Euthanasia or the ethical issue of ?Right to Death? poses a challenge to the entire world. There is an extensive debate on this issue mainly to discuss whether it should be legalized or not and whether the doctors be legally allowed to deliver a person groaning in intractable pain or suffering from an incurable disease. Doctors have a moral responsibility towards patients as their prime job is to save their patients' lives. However, for terminally ill patients seeking euthanasia, the scenario changes. Moreover, in an underdeveloped state like Bihar where there are serious problems like poverty, illiteracy, lack of scientific advancements and inadequate medical facilities, doctors have to confront certain moral issues like respecting the personal choice of the patient, relieving a patient from excruciating pain by ending his life, helping a patient?s relatives in taking a decision, freeing up hospital resources for other treatable incoming patients, etc. This study addresses the different factors ? social, financial, ethical and religious which shall influence the medical practitioners, patients and relatives in taking the decision regarding Euthanasia.