Euthanasia and physician-assisted death - Catholic Laws

Euthanasia and physician-assisted death ~ Catholic Laws

Eileen Renders                                                    January 2024

   The Catholic church opposes Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide because it believes life is a gift from God and should not be prematurely ended. However, the Catholic church allows the refusal of extraordinary methods to extend life minimally when there is no hope for long-term survival. It is referred to as passive euthanasia.

   While laws regarding physician-assisted dying allow physicians to assist the terminally ill to end their lives, it is only when these patients have met the guidelines. Those guidelines are;

18 years of age or older

Have a terminal illness with a prognosis of fewer than 6 months to live

Be mentally able to make their own medical decisions

Be able to ingest the medicine themselves

Note: In 2023, Oregon and Vermont changed their Laws so that someone doesn’t have to be a resident of those states to get medical aid if dying there.  

   The difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted death is that while they are both designed to end someone’s suffering peacefully, in the case of euthanasia someone administers the medication. In physician-assisted death, the individual ingests the medicine when they decide to, maintaining control over the process. Euthanasia is illegal in the U.S.

   The American Association of Suicidology (AAS), which aims to prevent suicide through education, research, public awareness, and training, states that physician-assisted dying is not the same as suicide. All of the primary medical professional associations oppose the use of the term “physician-assisted suicide.”

States where physician-assisted death is legal include;

California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington DC, and Washington.

   Although the State Laws in these states are not all identical, most have similar built-in provisions for both physician and patient, such as;

Patients must talk with more than one doctor

Patients have to ask for medical aid in dying at least twice. With a waiting period that varies by state. 

Patients have to sign a document in front of witnesses stating their intentions.

Doctors do not have to offer aid in dying if they prefer not to.

   The current laws require you to ask for aid in dying yourself, at a time when you are terminally ill and are still able to make health care decisions for yourself. Therefore, the request cannot be written into a living will or other advance medical directive.

Arguments against medical aid in dying

It is not compatible with a physician’s role as a healer

Difficult or impossible to control

A risk to society

Rather than assisting with dying, doctors who oppose of medical aid in dying believe physicians should;

Continue providing care, even after determining there is no cure

Respect the patient’s autonomy

Communicate effectively and provide emotional support

Provide comfort care

Provide pain control

Catholic beliefs and options

For Catholics who are terminal, and for families of those who are terminal and suffering we need to offer prayer and Masses.

Keep holy and do not destroy what God has created through suicide.

It is acceptable to refuse extraordinary measures to sustain life when the prognosis is terminal and suffering is severe with no hope of long-term survival.

For those who have been suffering a long time, and are frail at an advanced age, it is within the Catholic law to refuse a feeding tube or be forced to eat.