Euthanasia Informational Outlook
             Before practicing medicine as a profession, doctors must take a Hippocratic Oath in which they are sworn to protect human life. Therefore, any concept which involves assisting a patient to take his own life would, on the surface, appear to be a violation of the sacred medical oath. However, with the ever-increasing numbers of terminally-ill patients, the issues aren't necessarily as black and white as they once appeared. With the increasing prominence of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, sometimes referred to as Dr. Death, many patients and medical professionals are questioning the implications of physician-assisted suicide, and whether or not such an action constitutes murder.
             I. Advanced euthanasia directives including terminal care, value of life and right to die
             Euthanasia comprised of the Greek words eu, which means good and thanatos, which means death. There are two basic types of euthanasia -- active and passive. Active euthanasia involves inducing a painless death to a patient (per his request) who is suffering from a terminal illness or incurably debilitating condition, with their direct consent. To date, this practice is illegal in the United States, but is recognized by the Netherlands' government ("Hemlock Society: General Information" 1997). Passive euthanasia is the medical practice of not intervening in the natural death process and is performed through the removal of feeding tubes, the cessation of antibiotic medications to fight infection, or the halting of chemotherapy. This is a legally recognized practiced and is widely accepted by the medical establishment. ("Hemlock Society: General Information" 1997).
             In recent years, the term assisted suicide has become popular or notorious, depending on one's point of view. This is the process of aiding a person to end his life, and is considered illegal in most states. Although family members often help a t...