1y ago

Cuba quietly authorizes euthanasia

www.reuters.com /world/americas/cuba-quietly-authorizes-euthanasia-2023-12-22/

HAVANA, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Cuba on Friday became the second country in Latin America and the Caribbean to authorize euthanasia, following Colombia.

The Communist-run country’s National Assembly passed the measure as part of legislation updating the nation’s legal framework for its universal and free healthcare system.

“The right of people to a dignified death is recognized in end-of-life decisions, which may include the limitation of therapeutic effort, continuous or palliative care, and valid procedures that end life,” the final draft of the legislation stated.

10 comments

Fucking good, dying is a human right.
- It's the only one that's arguably exercised by all at one point. I just hope they don't take Canada's route of suggesting it for every ailment out there.
  
  Speak for yourself, I plan on being immortal. So far it works.

Here’s the question that was staged for me. I think a lot of pushback is coming from medical professionals not wanting to touch that particular moral quandary.
“How would you feel administering said medication?”
And the fucking audacity to immediately follow with
“Remember why you got into this profession, to save lives, not end them”
Sure it caused a huge fucking pit in my stomach. But the reality is, if you are reduced to a life of pain and suffering my job is to help stop that specifically. When there is no cure, no relief, then I understand completely.
- While many medical doctors do not recite the Hippocratic Oath, it is totally applicable here.
  FIRST DO NO HARM.
  Prolonging pain without a foreseeable remedy is harmful. This is a no brainer.

there was a time when i would have found it weird that cuba would have a more humane policy than the united states... but these are dark times.
- Cuba has had a more humane healthcare system than the for profit US system for a long time.

That's the way I want to go. In a bar, drinking rum, and listening to some good Cuban jazz.

Ok what does quietly mean? Did they whisper it?

End of life care is easily the most expensive part of any health care system, and implementing euthanasia policies will save a crap ton of money. Smells like regular old capitalism dressed up as compassion.

10 comments