Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is enveloped as deeply in
             medical and ethical controversy as abortion. Both issues involve the termination
             of a life, and both conjure strong arguments for advocacy and opposition.
             Pro-euthanasia arguments emphasize the right of patients to choose their own
             death, the duty of the physician to end pain and suffering, and the ability of
             legalization to establish guidelines which create lucidity on when and how
             euthanasia should be performed. Anti-euthanasia arguments, on the other hand,
             emphasize the sanctity of life, the commitment of physicians to save lives, and the
             possible dangers of mistakes. These are all important considerations. However,
             in determining the ethics of euthanasia: religious values, opinions of the morality
             involved, and interpretations of physician commitments should take a second seat
             to the consideration of whether pain and suffering is uncontrollable, whether a
             patient has a chance of recovering, and the development of extensive guidelines
             by which physicians can make better decisions regarding euthanasia.
             The definition of euthanasia can be subdivided into two parts: active and
             passive. Passive euthanasia, the version deemed more acceptable by most
             anti-euthanasia advocates, means simply refraining from rendering medical
             treatment to keep the patient alive. This could mean withholding of medication
             or life-sustaining therapy, refusing surgery, or negating to resuscitate and letting
             the patient die of his or her own affliction (Darley 1). The definition of medical
             treatment has been recently expanded by the American Medical Association to
             encompass intravenous feeding and hydrating tubes. These medical devices used
             to be considered a part of human care, which cannot be withheld from a patient.
             Now that they are considered medical treatment, they can (Smith 1).
             As a result of this, a patient may now die from st...