Euthanasia, Terminal Illness and Quality of Life

Euthanasia is a term derived from the Greek word meaning ‘good death’. The term has been loosely applied to all forms of death administered by a second party, implying ‘mercy killing’, not dissimilar in its connotation to the traditional shooting of a lame horse. The controversy with regards to euthanasia stems mainly from the vague application of the term to all methods of ending a person’s life by a physician, and according to his judgment, with the caveat that his judgment best serves the interest of his patient. There are two main categories in this form of euthanasia; voluntary and involuntary.