Child Euthanasia Ethics (1995)

Barcode (ID): 03B0212783                                                    

Main Search Term and Keywords: Assisted Suicide, Mercy Killing, Euthanasia

Date of Broadcast: 21st July 1995

Clip Duration: 3 min 15 seconds

Scientific Content Rating

Ethical Content Rating

Usefulness for Teaching Bioethics

Description: The parents of toddler Ian Stewart want to have the right to end his life as he is brain-damaged and will suffer more and more as he gets older. There are other similar cases but views vary a lot on the rights and wrongs of making such a decision.

• 2-year-old Ian can touch the roses but is blind and deaf
• In operation suffered brain damage – screamed for days
• Parents say Ian will eventually suffer a long and painful death and believe euthanasia is the only option so he can have a peaceful death
• Young child suffers from cerebral palsy and cries 18 hours a day
• Hospice nurse believes that other families could be in the same position and we should be providing help and the Stewart’s should have had that help a long time ago
• Derek and Lynn have hospice back up and euthanasia is never an option – they believe it is not right for them to ‘play God’
• Campaigners against euthanasia
• Stewart’s believe death will come to us all sooner or later, Ian has had a horrible life and euthanasia will not kill Ian, his heart will

Discussion Questions

• Should we, as individuals, have a right to decide how and when we end our lives?
• How would this change if we were ‘critically ill’
• If euthanasia were to be legalized in the UK, how would human life or medical practices be compromised considering what happened in the Netherlands?
• What is the difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia?
• If people are able to commit suicide/or attempt and not be criminalized, why should euthanasia be criminalized?

Similar Questions

• If euthanasia were legalized in the UK, what could be the possible consequences?
• Since suicide is not against the law, should it be illegal to help someone commit suicide?

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