IntroductionI have identified euthanasia, a contemporary health issue, as my topic of study. Euthanasia, often known as assisted suicide, is the attempt to end one's life to relieve pain or suffering. Euthanasia is relevant to my community as it happens daily and affects the lives of many people. There are strong opinions for and against euthanasia and researchers must find solutions that are acceptable to all. According to BBC News Europe (2014), “the Belgian Parliament approved a bill allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children without any age limit, 86 votes in favour, 44 against and 12 abstentions”. Belgium is now the first country to remove an age limit for euthanasia and has allowed euthanasia for adults for the past twelve years. (BBC News Europe, 2014) It is only a matter of time before similar bills are legislated in other countries, including the United States. According to Belgian legislation, a terminally ill and suffering child can request euthanasia or his parents can grant him consent. The request must be voluntary and the child must be in a lot of pain for him to be seen by a doctor. Some people have argued that a child does not have the capacity to make such decisions. The argument in support of this law is that it will only affect a small population of teenagers. Furthermore, the child should have made multiple requests for euthanasia while suffering, and parents and doctors must agree before it is administered. Most euthanasia victims are afraid of pain and often feel like a burden to society. Doctors and psychiatrists believe they are not taking part in assisted suicide but are simply fulfilling their duties to ensure that their patients' wishes are fulfilled. There is also… middle of the paper… medications to end the patient's pain or suffering. In my opinion, however, legalizing the euthanasia of children is immoral since most teenagers are incapable of doing so. simple decisions that affect their lives. The goal of palliative care is to extend the child's life and minimize suffering. Patients need easy access to palliative care at any time and instead of relying solely on doctors to end their lives. ReferencesBBC News Europe (2014). Retrieved from BBC News website: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26181615 Legalizing Euthanasia (2014). Medical Perspectives on Death and Dying Retrieved from Santa Clara University website: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v4n2/eutanasia.htmlThe Age (2014). Retrieved from The Age website: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/reject-eutanasia-and-save-us-from-dr-death-20140510-zr7xc.html