Sir — This refers to the article, “Matters of life, death, and human dignity” (July 28) by Joginder Singh. Those who support euthanasia or assisted suicide strongly believe in the theory that a life without dignity is no life at all. The pain and suffering of the dying patient is unbearable for his or her kith and kin. However, it may be difficult to make euthanasia legally permissible in India as compared to the West because of the cultural differences. In India, socio-economic and cultural factors have a great say in determining a patient’s future.
The relatives of the patient are given due importance, and their say has a great bearing on the latter’s fate. Though most of the doctors do not reveal the ‘bad news’ to the terminally-ill patients, it is equally true that rarely have doctors come across patients directly confiding in them a desire to die, though what the patients have in their minds is a different matter.
Also, the relatives are not always forthcoming on the issue as they do not want to be seen being ‘responsible’ for the death of their own. Issues like ‘divine intervention’ and ‘switching over to an alternative branch of medicine’, compel relatives to hope against hope. That being said, it is also a tribute to our doctors and nursing staff that against all odds, they are often able to revive hopelessly ill patients. The value of the medical profession in India may be undermined if euthanasia is accorded legal sanction.