...Should medical professionals be able to assist a suffering, terminally ill patient in ending their life? Deliberately ending someone's life is indeed a crime, but helping someone end their suffering in a painless way is not. Physician-assisted suicide should be legal in many states, and should definitely be an option for terminally ill patients. Becoming terminally ill is something no one should have to endure, whether it be from cancer, of from other diseases. When people pass away from things like cancer, the last few weeks or months of their lives are explicitly awful, for them and their families. Figuratively, the way to end all suffering is death, which is what runs through many of these patients' minds. Many people say, "I just want the pain to stop." Living in constant agony, without any light at the end of the tunnel beside death. That is no way to live life, so if someone decides they want to end it, then they should be able to. A strong argument that many have against PAS are the effects it has on the family and specific codes of ethics. Some families can't stand to lose a family member when they should really be uncomfortable with...
Words: 541 - Pages: 3
...Physician assisted suicide has been a controversial topic in this country for many years. Some believe that people who are sick and dying should have the legal right to end their life with the help of a physician. There are many terminal cancer patients who are so sick they will not have a chance to live the rest of their life so they choose the route of physician assisted suicide. They choose it because it is an easy pain free way to end their life. Although people may say physician assisted suicide is unethical, physician assisted suicide is ethical because it is a person's individual choice whether they want to live or die and it reduces suffering. There have been many cases and statewide issues that have dealt with physician assisted suicide. The state of California and Washington denied the idea of physician assisted suicide. In the early 1990’s California and Washington rejected the votes that would have allowed Physician assisted suicide to be legal. Physician assisted suicide is a state issue. Physician assisted suicide was a problem in states...
Words: 812 - Pages: 4
...illness. What would you do for the rest of the time you have to live? Maybe the thought of ending your sufferings now that you are component to make your own decisions will cross your mind. Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is when a physician provides a terminal ill patient with a prescription of a lethal dose medication to end his or her life. In the United States there are some states like Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana and California that allow PAS. More states should join and allow terminal ill patients to end their life if they wish too. Technical Aspects Patients are diagnosed with a terminal illness everyday and many don’t want to live in pain the...
Words: 1264 - Pages: 6
...Physician-assisted suicide is a controversial issue at the forefront of American society. The idea is that if someone has been diagnosed with a terminal illness they should have the option to end their own life through a quick and painless drug administered by a physician. Many terminally ill patients believe this gives them a sense of control and gives them an option to end the pain of dealing with their illness. The opposition of physician-assisted suicide are those who believe that suicide is immoral and forcing a physician to administer this procedure would unfair. While many are now in favor of physician-assisted suicide there are still those who oppose it for moral or religious reasons. Many believe that the practice is morally wrong because it...
Words: 663 - Pages: 3
...highly controversial permissibility of euthanasia. If assisted- suicide laws went nationwide, it would create “explicit and implicit pressure” on millions of elderly, disabled, and chronically sick poor people to do the decent thing and end their lives prematurely. Establish the right of sick individuals to kill themselves, and that right begins to look more and more like an expectation. That isn’t a society we want to live or die in. (Marilyn Golden, CNN.com 2014 ) Not to mention the catch 22 that doctor’s will inevitably find themselves entangled in should they be broached with the antithetical situation of a patient wanting to end his life. We expect our medical professionals to assert that it is fundamentally wrong to kill vulnerable people, whether or not they have requested death. It is with great consternation that we remember the notorious Dr. Kevorkian,...
Words: 975 - Pages: 4
...life that can demand that we make split decisions. Some decisions are reversible whereas others, such as Physician Assisted Suicide, are concrete. While some view it as a solution or being a form of relief from intolerable pain, Physician Assisted Suicide should not be legalized. The reason for this is because patients shouldn’t make final decisions filtered by frustration. Other reasons are that Assisted Suicide can also give patients the idea that losing all hope is Ok. Although It’s fair to feel hopeless. The positive mindset can have great benefits to our health. Finally, many times it is the wrong approach to a much deeper problem. Hidden mind altering moods or emotions such as Depression can cause illogical reasoning. These are only a few reasons while Physician Assisted Suicide should be legalized. Frustration is an emotional state that a person experiences while under distress. It is also one of the many leading causes for attempting to find an “easy way out”....
Words: 742 - Pages: 3
...euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide? Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are similar. Forms of assisted suicide involve the guidance and supervision of a licensed physician. There is a difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicides’ preparation is when, “A doctor’s helping their distressed patient to commit suicide at the patient’s autonomous appeal” (Varelius, 2013). Euthanasia, on the other hand, “consists of administering lethal medication to the patient,” by the licensed physician (Varelius, 2013). There are countless numbers of questions and concerns about an individual’s quality of life. Under no circumstances, suicide is never the ideal way for an individual to die. However, if physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia were legal and regulated in all states, then the United States Constitution may salvage lives by giving people the right to elect how they wish to die. This is a matter of legal issues, moral issues, and...
Words: 1362 - Pages: 6
... Instructor Jean Suplizio March 12, 2016 Due to technology medicine have advanced over the years, this allows physicians to save people’s lives and helped increase the life expectancy of their patients. Unfortunately, there are some medical conditions and diseases that are incurable. And these medical conditions and diseases are unpredictable and may cause us to have to make some difficult decisions to want ease the patient from suffering. There are ethical issues surround anything that is done in the medical field, particularly concerning the treatment and voluntary euthanasia of a patient that is dying. There are strong controversy whether voluntary euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, of a patient that is dying, is morally right or wrong. Should it be up to the patient and their family to make the decision for end-of life care? The choice for end of life a mission for many individuals, “the nineteenth-century philosopher John Stuart Mill argued that individuals are, ultimately, the best judges and guardians of their own interests”, (Singer, 2005). In this essay, I will discuss the difference between euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, and the utilitarian ethical theory for this topic and how it results in the happiness for several people. After being diagnosed with a serious terminal illness, the body can begin to deteriorate causing physical...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...are on the verge of suicide? Well the only answer would be to commit it but what if that person can't find the guts to go through it alone. Well then they ask for assistance. This is called assisted suicide. Assisted suicide or in other words euthanasia is the killing by an act of an independent human being for their own benefit. There are many kinds of definitions that one must argue the fact of, what is euthanasia. Well you would have to keep reading farther on. Euthanasia can either be voluntary or non voluntary, when it then becomes murder. But what it is not is that it's not euthanasia unless the death is intentionally. It is not medical actions or withdrawing treatment. But in this essay I will give you the most frequent pros and cons of this issue. My view is that there should be allowed assisted suicide. As many people might know is that many people are against euthanasia than most others. Some examples of people being against it would be that it demeans the value of human life, which the human life could have many different views as people understand the concept of actually doing it. Anyway, in many cases, many religions do not allow the potential suicide and the killing of others. Also it would violate the Hippocratic doctors oath. Some people also believe that someday a miracle might actually happen. Lastly people think that doctors are given too much power, and by some miracle might be wrong or unethical. Also people think that assisted suicide could be mandated...
Words: 1003 - Pages: 5
...reports that twenty five percent of all Medicare spending is for the five percent of patients who are in their final year of life, and most of that money goes for care in their last couple of months, which is of little apparent benefit (p. 3). Even more concerning is the suffering that many patients are forced to endure due to the lack of other options. Patients must have the right to make autonomous decisions regarding the end of their lives. They need to be confident that those decisions will be upheld, even if they conflict with the wishes of their families or physicians. However, patient confidence in knowing that their final wishes will be met is complicated by a lack of education and empowerment for those who face these difficult decisions (Frank & Anselmi, 2011). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the benefits to patient autonomy and the Medicare budget, by the legalization of physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. Legalizing Euthanasia: A Practical Approach Imagine that your beloved pet suffered a stroke and could no longer eat, drink, walk, or care for itself the way it had been able to do previously. Would you have a feeding tube inserted into him and care for his every personal need? The answer to this question may seem obvious when discussing a pet, but what...
Words: 2318 - Pages: 10
...Assisted Suicide Letithia Terry PHI103: Informal Logic Kurt Mosser June 6, 2011 Assisted Suicide Assisted Suicide is when the physician provides the necessary means or information and the patient performs the act. Euthanasia is where the physician performs the intervention defined as the “act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reason of mercy (as cited in Mosser 2010). Physician Assisted Suicide has grown to be a controversial issue and one of the major disputes is; can an incurable ill patient be able to choose Physician assisted suicide? This phenomenal dilemma has risen debates on rather to legalize PAS or keep it illegal because of the different issues concerning the different religion, moral and ethical views people have on the topic. In this essay I will discuss issues of why many people and I believe assisted suicide should be legalized. There are different laws around the world concerning physician assisted suicide and only a few states that has legalized the procedure. In 2005, there were only four places in the world that open and legally authorize assistance in dying patients: “Oregon (since l997, physician-assisted suicide only); Switzerland (1941, physician and non-physician assisted suicide only); Belgium (2002, permits 'euthanasia' but does not define the method and the Netherlands (voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide...
Words: 1850 - Pages: 8
...truth to the parents and or coach. Although not as controversial as assisted suicide it poses significant risks and eyebrow raises in the sports world. Doctors, nurses, and various medical personal have a harder role. They wager people’s lives and future and decide in some countries whether or not to permit such an act. In this essay we will explore the facts on Euthanasia: Assisted Suicide, my view, the world view and its progress. Before I begin, however, let me note what I will not try to do. I will not try to show you that Physician Assisted Suicide is a fully justifiable course of action what I will do is give you facts and statistics of this rapidly growing controversial issue.. What I will show you is the compatibility to the commitment to good end-of-life care. One of the most important public policy debates today surrounds the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide. The outcome of that debate to whether or not it should be made available will profoundly affect family relationships, interaction between doctors and patients, and concepts of basic ethical behavior. Although not accepted widespread, the thought and ease of relocation to a place where it is available is an option many people are considering. By definition Physician-Assisted Suicide is defined as a physician providing medications or other interventions to a patient with understanding that the patient intends to use them to commit suicide. In contrast to Euthanasia defined as, intentionally administering...
Words: 1907 - Pages: 8
...March 16th, 2012 Persuasive Essay Euthanasia, Mercy Killing or Murder? Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide are the methods for helping patients to release their pain and suffering by using either medication or other comfortable methods. There are many arguments about these issues had been rising up from many different aspects, such as the actual definition of euthanasia and its practice; the physicians’ responsibilities and opinions; and ethics and religions stance of euthanasia. In my opinion, euthanasia and physician assisted suicide should be prohibited completely in all hospitals. Euthanasia is a physician purposely kills a patient by drugs with the approval from that person. Euthanasia can divide into two categories: passive and active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is withdrawing any life-sustaining treatment (Palliate Medicine - 2011). In the other hand, active euthanasia is using drugs under administration of a physician. It can be voluntary, with the permission of the patients; involuntary, without a permission of a patient; and non-voluntary, with the permission of the second party due to the physical or mental condition of a patient (Health Policy – 2010). Involuntary is performing against the patient’s will, which is completely illegal. Active voluntary and non-voluntary are the main consideration of the society nowadays. One of the studies has shown the estimation of the percentage of deaths in the United Kingdom that involved euthanasia to be 0.16% (Palliative...
Words: 1187 - Pages: 5
...Should Assisted Suicide be Legal? Stefan C Sooter HUM/115 October 12, 2015 Beverly Sessoms Should Assisted Suicide be Legal? As I type this opening paragraph for my essay, I should precursor this by saying that I'm beginning this piece as a non-advocate for assisted suicide. It's not just about my religious views, but also for the fact that I believe that with modern medical miracles, anything can happen. If you tap out of the fight too early, you may never know what could have happened. I understand that the situation can feel hopeless, and one can be in so much pain that one may feel like they can't take anymore, but I've witnessed first-hand desperate situations turn into miracles. My father was diagnosed in 2009 with Stage 3 Esophageal cancer. The chances of him living, especially at 65 years old, were thirty-three percent, at best. Today, he is one hundred percent in remission and living his life as a healthy senior man. That example alone is my reason for not believing in assisted suicide. A publication in the Evening Chronicle states that assisted suicide may be a dangerous law to pass. If legalized, it could set a precedent for those that are disabled or terminally ill to take their lives as to not be a burden to their family or friends (Anonymous, 2010). The author also goes on to discuss how legalizing assisted suicide could, "create pressure, particularly on those who are newly physically challenged, to end their lives. We should be fighting for proper health...
Words: 645 - Pages: 3
...Advantages and Disadvantages of Euthanasia Discursive Essay Diara Utebay ID 20140542 Academic Reading and Writing 1 Yelena Zhacheva SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 Discursive Essay Outline Essay question: Should the whole world recognize physician-assisted suicide? I. Introduction Thesis statement: Euthanasia would be recognized by the entire world because physician-assisted suicide leads to easily leaving our world without any pain and suffering and it is another case of freedom of choice. However, mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. II. Body A. Main idea 1: Euthanasia changes view of life, thereby helps not to be afraid of pain before death 1. It improves quality of life. 2. The best way to relieve the pains. 3. Death is the opposite of life, but the process of dying is part of life. B. Main idea 2: Physician-assisted suicide is another case of freedom of choice 1. If the dying process is unpleasant, people should have the right to shorten it. 2. Countries which protect rights of their citizens. C. Main idea: Mercy-killing is contrary to the Hippocratic Oath. 1. Doctor’s job is to protect and save life. 2. Providing deadly drugs is contrary to the oath. III. Conclusion Everything goes to the fact that euthanasia will be recognized by the entire world, however, medical professionals are not in hurry to make the most important decision, which is related to euthanasia. It has been argued that euthanasia is one of the most...
Words: 1592 - Pages: 7
