Euthanasia has been accepted by various societies trough history. In the ancient Greek and Rome it was acceptable to help others die or put them to death in some situations. Voluntary euthanasia was an approved custom for elderly who were suffering unknown or untreatable illnesses that was assumed lethal. Moreover, newborns with severe birth effects were put to death in the ancient Greek city of Sparta.

However, as Christianity developed and grew powerful, euthanas

A wife who is no longer wished to care for his sick husband gave him a choice between euthanasia and admission to a home for the chronically ill. The man, afraid of being left to the mercy of strangers in an unfamiliar place, chose to be killed; the doctor, although aware of the coercion, ended the man’s life….

Another Dutch physician who was filmed ending the life of a patient recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis says of the patient: ”I can give him the finest wheelchair there is, but in the end it is only a stopgap, He’s going to die and he knows it.” (Hendin)

The question of life and death will always be among the major issues that people have to face. It does not mean that the specific questions that are asked and the answers given to them will be the same in every society. However, it is important to keep a watchful eye on euthanasia's moral, medical, and legal aspects in the Netherlands, because their efforts to regulate euthanasia may serve as an example in the United States and in other countries.

[1] When a patient makes a request for euthanasia, it is reported to a team consisting of the attending physician, the chief of service and the head nurse. The patient’s family is notified [only] when the patient permits this. If there is unanimous agreement, the director of the hospital is notified who grants permission and arrangements are made as to time, those who will be present, etc. [2] The actual procedure is carried out by a physician of the consultation team. The usual procedure is to give an opioid and when the patient is unconscious, curare is injected. …Permission for burial or cremation is given only if the physician certifies that death was due to natural causes. [3] In the case of euthanasia [unnatural death], the physician must report to the police who, in turn report to the district attorney. This official decides whether to prosecute [the physician] or not.

As Herbert Hendin points out in his article in JAMA: “Virtually every guidelines set up by the Dutch--a voluntary, well considered, persistent request; intolerable suffering that cannot be relieved; consultation; and reporting of cases--has failed to protect patients or has been modified or violated.” The same article also reveals that not recognizing the significant meaning of the word “voluntary”, 50 percent of the interviewe

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