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Slow Euthanasia Introduction - The Doctor’s Loophole
Slow euthanasia or the ‘Doctrine of Double Effect’ as it is often called, is the only way a caring doctor can hasten the death of a patient and escape any legal consequence.
Known commonly as the ‘doctor’s loophole’ slow euthanasia allows a doctor to end a patient’s life by slowly increasing the amount of a pain-killing drug. In the eyes of the law it doesn’t matter if, in the course of treating a person’s pain, the person dies.
It is the administration of the pain-relieving drug that causes the double effect; it relieves pain but it also causes death. As long as the stated primary intention is the treatment of the person’s pain, the doctor is legally safeguarded.
While slow euthanasia is relatively common, few doctors will ever admit their involvement. Even while administering slow euthanasia, some doctors will argue that they are only treating