DEATH is not and will never be accepted with ease, even though we know that all living things grow old, fall sick and eventually die ("Deep sleep v euthanasia: Is there a difference?"; ST Online, March 18).
Seeing our loved ones dying slowly is extremely painful and heartrending. Many would think only of how to keep their loved one alive for as long as possible. Euthanasia is never in our minds.
I am glad that assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in Singapore.
Even if the authorities were to explore the deep-sleep option, I urge caution, because of the implications and moral issues that follow.
The deep sleep option described seems to involve the administering of specific potent drugs to lead to death.
This is unlike the Advance Medical Directive, where a person agrees in advance not to use any life-sustaining treatment to prolong his life when he becomes terminally ill and death is imminent.
The deep-sleep option is similar to assisted suicide and euthanasia. All are akin to robbing lives using medical grounds.
Lim Lih Mei (Ms)
Seeing our loved ones dying slowly is extremely painful and heartrending. Many would think only of how to keep their loved one alive for as long as possible. Euthanasia is never in our minds.
I am glad that assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in Singapore.
Even if the authorities were to explore the deep-sleep option, I urge caution, because of the implications and moral issues that follow.
The deep sleep option described seems to involve the administering of specific potent drugs to lead to death.
This is unlike the Advance Medical Directive, where a person agrees in advance not to use any life-sustaining treatment to prolong his life when he becomes terminally ill and death is imminent.
The deep-sleep option is similar to assisted suicide and euthanasia. All are akin to robbing lives using medical grounds.
Lim Lih Mei (Ms)
