EUTHANASIA IN MEXICO: STATISTICS AND LEGAL SITUATION - MEDICINE - 2025

The euthanasia in Mexico is one of the most topical issues in the Latin American country. In 2017, Mexico was about to become the seventh country in the world to legalize euthanasia or assisted death, as the right to a dignified death was recognized within the Constitution of Mexico City.

Euthanasia consists of a voluntary intervention that accelerates the process of death of a person in critical condition and without the possibility of improvement. This intervention must be done with the informed consent of the patient, who would accept it in order to avoid pain and suffering.

This medical procedure is considered in some countries as a fundamental right (the right to die with dignity). However, most states consider it a crime. The only countries that allow euthanasia are Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Colombia, as well as some specific states in the United States.

Statistics

After the approval of the new paragraph in the Constitution of Mexico City, which spoke of the "right to a dignified death" as fundamental, there was a great debate throughout the country about whether euthanasia should be legalized or not.

During this period, many surveys were conducted to find out public opinion on this controversial issue. The results showed that the majority of the population was in favor of legalizing assisted death; the data is as follows:

- 59% of Mexicans believe that it should be allowed to administer euthanasia in the case of a terminal illness that cannot be cured. This figure increases to 69% in the capital of the country.

- Young people are the most open about this issue: 67% of those under 25 years of age are in favor of assisted death. In the highest age groups the percentage decreases, reaching up to 41% in the case of those over 55 years of age.

- The Catholic religion seems to have a great influence on opinion against euthanasia. Only 43% of those who consider themselves "very believers" are in favor of this practice. This figure contrasts with 75% of those who consider themselves "unbelievers."

Legal situation of euthanasia in Mexico

Despite the inclusion of the paragraph on the right to a dignified death in the Constitution of Mexico City, in the Latin American country the practice of euthanasia is still not recognized as legal. However, in recent years the debate has become very intense.

Legislation on euthanasia distinguishes in Mexico between active euthanasia (in which a lethal substance is administered to the patient), and passive euthanasia (in which the necessary drugs are no longer supplied for the person to remain alive).

Active euthanasia is considered a crime by the Mexican Federal Penal Code, which is why it is considered homicide. As established in article 312, assisting a person to commit suicide can be punished with between 1 and 12 years in prison, depending on whether only assistance is provided or death is directly caused.

On the other hand, in article 166 bis 21 of the General Health Law, the prohibition to practice euthanasia is directly explicit, due in large part to the pressure exerted by the Catholic Church on this issue.

However, in the states of Nuevo León and Coahuila, the penalties for assisted suicide are lighter, and may carry a maximum of 3 years in prison.

However, it seems that euthanasia is not going to be legalized in the near future, even though the majority of the population believes that it should be legalized.

Arguments for euthanasia

- Legalizing euthanasia could end the suffering of evicted patients; that is, of those who are beyond all cure and to whom only palliative treatments can be administered. Patients in this state can suffer all kinds of ailments and discomfort that impoverish their quality of life.

- By turning assisted death into a legal practice, the clandestine clinics where it is practiced would be put to an end. In this way, it would be possible to regularize it and avoid problems such as patient pain or failures in the execution of the process.

- According to the people who are in favor of euthanasia, each of us should be free to choose what to do with our body and with our life. This would include the right to terminate it in extreme circumstances.

- Legalizing euthanasia could maintain human dignity, in the sense that it would prevent some people from continuing to live with incurable diseases that prevent them from leading a dignified life.

- Finally, some people consider that medical resources should be aimed at curing patients who can benefit from treatment for their recovery, rather than to care for those who can no longer be saved.

Arguments against euthanasia

- The main argument against euthanasia is morality. For some people, human life is inviolable, in such a way that any act that puts an end to it is seen as something monstrous and comparable to murder in all cases.

- Another argument is that the practice of assisted death goes against the Hippocrates oath, the moral code by which doctors should be guided when exercising their profession.

- Religion also weighs heavily in the arguments against: some Christians believe that life does not belong to ourselves, but to God. Therefore, suicide is a way of taking from God what is his and, therefore, it is a sin.

- Finally, some arguments allude to the little need for the practice (due to advances in palliative medicine) and the risks it entails, being able to euthanize a person who really would not want to die (for example, a patient who suffers of clinical depression).

References

1. "The right to a dignified death in the new Constitution of Mexico City creates great controversy" in: Actualidad RT. Retrieved on: March 27, 2018 from Actualidad RT: actuality.rt.com.
2. "Mexicans in favor of euthanasia" in: Parametry. Retrieved on: March 27, 2018 from Parametry: parametria.com.mx.
3. "Euthanasia and its regulation in Mexico" in: Gentetlx. Retrieved on: March 27, 2018 from Gentetlx: gentetlx.com.mx.
4. "Debate on euthanasia" in: Méli - Mélo. Retrieved on: March 27, 2018 from Méli - Mélo: jesalgadom.com.
5. "Euthanasia" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: March 27, 2018 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org.