Euthanasia: When (and Where) Is Suicide Ethical?

When is a patient’s death morally acceptable? Are some lives no longer worth living? These questions lack an easy answer, which is why euthanasia has been and still is a controversial issue with no worldwide consensus. Euthanasia (or otherwise referred to as physician-assisted suicide or medical aid in dying) is the act of a physician directly killing or aiding in the death of a patient. It is done with the consent of the patient, who typically is suffering immensely, often due to terminal illness [1]. Due to the consequential nature of such an act, euthanasia has strong support as well as strong opposition worldwide. Proponents of euthanasia argue that it gives a patient autonomy and dignity by allowing them to choose to not endure unnecessary suffering. Opponents of euthanasia argue that it violates a person’s moral worth and a physician’s duty. They also express concern over potential abuses that could arise from establishing the boundaries for when euthanasia is appropriate. Both of these views have a diverse representation across the globe, with many factors causing the divide.

One such factor that heavily sways the opinion on euthanasia is religion. The Roman Catholic Church, the largest religious institution in the world, officially condemns euthanasia as “murder gravely contrary to the dignity of the human person and to the respect due to the living God, his Creator” [2]. This opinion is mostly echoed across the wider Christian community as well as other religious groups like Islam and Judaism [3]. Despite the wide diversity of beliefs among these groups, what generally unites them against euthanasia is the belief that death should ultimately be placed in God’s hands and not be decided by a person when it is not necessary. 

The lack of this belief is often why secular societies tend to be more open to euthanasia [4], but contrary to what might be expected, there is not a clear and distinct correlation between a country’s religious status and its laws on euthanasia. While euthanasia is largely permitted in secular countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain [5], it is banned in other secular countries like China [6]. Similarly, religious countries differ on euthanasia legislation, with countries like Afghanistan and the Philippines banning euthanasia [7], while others like Colombia permit it [8]. 

It is also important to note that the degree to which euthanasia is allowed varies widely. Some allow for physicians to directly administer a lethal injection, while others may require that the patient does the final act by a direct action like pressing a button. It can also vary a lot when it comes to the conditions that a patient must meet for euthanasia to be granted. Countries tend to mandate that a patient faces a certain death in the near future, as in the United States, but some have looser standards, even allowing euthanasia for mental illness in rare cases [9]. 

The inconsistency globally in when euthanasia is allowed is likely to give great pause for anyone considering this issue. We as humans pretty much unanimously agree that some suicides are wrong, but it is daunting to properly draw the line. Despite the gravity of this task, countries worldwide are now progressively gravitating towards legalizing euthanasia [10]. Whether this is indicative of an advancement in ethics is unclear. Unlike the scientific aspects of medicine, medical ethics don’t inevitably get better over time. The change in attitudes on euthanasia might be here to stay, but it is likely people thought the same of eugenics in the 19th and 20th centuries. Only time will tell what the world will think of euthanasia in years to come. 

Designed by: Isaac Kang

Reviewed by: Aiden Chun

References

[1] Government of the Netherlands. (n.d.). Is euthanasia legal in the Netherlands? https://www.government.nl/themes/family-health-and-care/euthanasia/is-euthanasia-allowed

[2] Catholic Church. (n.d.). I. Respect for human life. Vatican. https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_three/section_two/chapter_two/article_5/i_respect_for_human_life.index.html

[3] Pew Research Center. (2013, November 21). Religious groups’ views on end-of-life issues. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/11/21/religious-groups-views-on-end-of-life-issues

[4] Grove, G. L., Lovell, M., Hughes, I., & Best, M. (2026). Conceptions of medical assistance in dying and euthanasia: A literature review on the role of religious affiliation and religiosity. Journal of Religion and Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-026-02607-4

[5] Reuters. (2025, June 20). The legal status of assisted dying in different countries. https://www.reuters.com/world/legal-status-assisted-dying-different-countries-2024-11-12/

[6] Wang, Y., Zhang, H., Zhang, Z., Gu, Y., & Shao, F. (2022). Assisted suicide and euthanasia: A comparative analysis of Dutch and East Asian cases. The American Journal of Bioethics, 22(2), 74–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2021.2013986

[7] AACC Secretariat for Research and Development. (2022). Right to life (as of December 2020). Constitutional Court of Korea. https://docs-venice.coe.int/CoCentre/AACC-Right-to-Life-2022.pdf

[8] Looi, M.-K. (2024, October 30). Assisted dying laws around the world. The BMJ, 387, q2385. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.q2385

[9] Sherwood, H. (2024, May 16). Dutch woman, 29, granted euthanasia approval on grounds of mental suffering. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/16/dutch-woman-euthanasia-approval-grounds-of-mental-suffering

[10] Blaakman, S. (2025, September 11). Euthanasia legislation in the EU. European Parliamentary Research Service. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI%282025%29775914