We all know the classical discussion about euthanasia. What I find interesting though, is COMPULSORY euthanasia. Should there be compulsory euthanasia on psychiatric units? A lot of mentally unstable people are contributing less to the society than they recieve. For instance, a schizophrenic patient needs expensive medicine and in many western countries, in Europe and America, there is government subsidies to medicine. Along with that many mentally ill patients recieve disability benefits, and they need specialized educational facilities. There is no doubt about the high expenses on mentally ill people.
The question though lies in: How should we deal with it? I am imaginging the following: Psychiatric hospitals could imitate the american prison system; In America, the prisons can be low security, high security, maximum security and death row. The psychiatric hospitals could be examination units, open units, closed units and "euthanasia unit". When a mentally ill patient is confined to a psychiatric hospital, the patient is then placed in the examination unit. The patient is examined for mental illness, and how long he or she has been sick. Treatment is provided and if the patient needs life-long treatment, the patient will be judged by a special Psychiatric Court that will have the power to sentence the patient to euthanasia. The patient can appeal the sentence, and but is placed in the Euthanasia Unit, where other patients await for their euthanasia.
When the patient's appeals run out, and it is time for euthanasia, the patient is then given high doses of sedatives/anti-anxiety medince in the hours before his/her euthanasia. Then the patient is led to the euthanasia room, where he/she is strapped to the gurney, and needles are inserted into the patient's arms. A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental (Nesdonal) in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). To ensure that the patient is completely at sleep, brain monitoring is required. When a doctor confirms that the patient is sleeping, then a triple intravenous dose of a non-depolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) or 20 mg vecuronium bromide (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, in order to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) are there substantial indications that the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dosage of 40 mg.
Any thoughts?
The question though lies in: How should we deal with it? I am imaginging the following: Psychiatric hospitals could imitate the american prison system; In America, the prisons can be low security, high security, maximum security and death row. The psychiatric hospitals could be examination units, open units, closed units and "euthanasia unit". When a mentally ill patient is confined to a psychiatric hospital, the patient is then placed in the examination unit. The patient is examined for mental illness, and how long he or she has been sick. Treatment is provided and if the patient needs life-long treatment, the patient will be judged by a special Psychiatric Court that will have the power to sentence the patient to euthanasia. The patient can appeal the sentence, and but is placed in the Euthanasia Unit, where other patients await for their euthanasia.
When the patient's appeals run out, and it is time for euthanasia, the patient is then given high doses of sedatives/anti-anxiety medince in the hours before his/her euthanasia. Then the patient is led to the euthanasia room, where he/she is strapped to the gurney, and needles are inserted into the patient's arms. A coma is first induced by intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg sodium thiopental (Nesdonal) in a small volume (10 ml physiological saline). To ensure that the patient is completely at sleep, brain monitoring is required. When a doctor confirms that the patient is sleeping, then a triple intravenous dose of a non-depolarizing neuromuscular muscle relaxant is given, such as 20 mg pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) or 20 mg vecuronium bromide (Norcuron). The muscle relaxant should preferably be given intravenously, in order to ensure optimal availability. Only for pancuronium bromide (Pavulon) are there substantial indications that the agent may also be given intramuscularly in a dosage of 40 mg.
Any thoughts?
