Abstract
Death with dignity and euthanasia have been discussed in conjunction with misery in the dying process. Lack of understanding of terminal care may be contributed to on-going confusion in discussions of this issue. For example, pro-life groups often make the criticism that self-determination involving withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from terminal patients undermines the value of human life. This criticism is not valid. Life-sustaining treatments in the terminal stage are performed without medical evidence of effectiveness, and are hence called extraordinary treatments. Since there is no definite treatment option in the terminal stage, any method can be chosen from available teratments. Even if a patient chooses withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, no other person can object to the decision because nobody is morally obliged to receive uncertain extraordinary treatment for mere prolongation of the dying process. Here, self determination does not devalue human life. Rather, life and self-determination can be compatible when a terminal patient is cared for with evidence-based medicine.
