Euthanasia and Suicide
by Ching-Chee Chan, Ph.D.
All Rights Reserved
Egret Publishing Inc.
May 2001
According to the Toronto Star, the Netherlands voted to legalize
euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. Many others are considering
similar legislation. ile Many web sites offer advices on suicide on the
Internet. Some cults suggest suicide as a mean to go to heaven.
There seems to be a great deal of interest in death.
There are good reasons. A few days ago, someone said on TV that
there was a tremendous increase in some kind of non-Hodgkin
lymphoma and the cause was not known. Many diseases, such as
arthritis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases normally afflicting
older people, are afflicting younger people. There are increases in
breast, skin, testicular cancer and in autoimmune diseases affecting
muscle, connective tissue, bone, blood vessels, nerve and sense
organs. The cause or causes are unknown and treatments are
unsatisfactory.
Dissatisfied patients are opting for alternative medicine in droves.
Alternative medicine may be less harmful but it is just as ineffective.
There is no breakthrough in research in scientific medicine. Gene
therapy seems to be a panacea but has not produced any result for
these diseases.
Under the circumstances, patients are in pain and desperate enough
to try all sorts of methods to find a way out. Some patients consider
death as a way to stop their pain and this is understandable. But
there are other possibilities not yet fully explored, such as bacterial
infection.
It seems to be an anathema to those in charge of research policy or
direction to consider the possibility of bacterial infection as a cause
for these diseases. It is very strange that euthanasia and suicide are
acceptable to the general public and Governments in many
countries but infection as a cause for those diseases is not acceptable
to those in charge of research. Is it because it is unacceptable to the
general public and the governments? Ask the general public and
find out what it wants, an idea to solve the problem or an idea that is
pleasant enough to be acceptable. For "A Probable Solution," please
click here.
References
ile. Iley K. Dutch euthanasia approval draws wrath and acceptance.
The Toronto Star 2001 April 12: A17(col 1), A17(col 3).
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