Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

Others have argued that physician assisted suicide is not ethically permissible, because it contradicts the traditional duty of physician’s to preserve life and to do no harm. Furthermore, many argue that if physician assisted suicide is legalized, abuses would take place, because as social forces condone the practice, it will lead to “slippery slope” that forces (PAS) on the disabled, elderly, and the poor, instead of providing more complex and expensive palliative care. While these arguments continue with no end in sight, more and more of the terminally ill cry out in agony, for the right to end their own suffering.

Assisted suicide is when you give someone else permission like a physician, to kill you. Assisted suicide is legal in at least six states (Tolle, 1996) and there is lots of people who wanted to die because the disease they might have at the moment is just too much for them. If a patient that wanted to die the they would either talk to a physician or their doctor and give the doctor permission to just kill the patient. Assisted suicide can only happen when your medication is not working and the pain from the sickness you have is just abdominale. There was a case that was about how a man who was going through chemotherapy he didn't want to go through it so he talked to his doctor about assisted suicide. They decided to

According to a poll in 2015, 68% of United States residents believe that physician assisted suicide should be legal (“In”). Physician assisted suicide (PAS) gives terminally ill patients a way to end their lives peacefully before they die from whatever terminal illness they have. If physician assisted suicide became legal, many people would be saved from pain and anguish. On top of that, ill people could retain some power and control over their life. And though bringing money into the discussion might be crude, assisted suicide can save millions. Physician assisted suicide should be legal in order to ensure a dignified death for terminally ill patients.

Assisted suicide is the suicide of a terminally- ill patient, achieved by using a prescribed drug from a doctor for that specific purpose. It is legal in only six states in the United States of America including: Oregon, Montana, Washington, Colorado, Vermont, and California. Countries such as Germany, Japan, and Switzerland have legalized assisted suicide in past years. It has been disputed for many years and continues to be a controversial issue whether physicians should be authorized to end an individual’s life with their prescription and if this should be done legally.

People say that assisted suicide is much better for patients because it is faster and more efficient. Some may even you the word “cleaner”, literally and politically. Though assisted suicide is the patients’ choice, it still leaves a big impact on the family and friends left behind. Some may even believe that the name is tarnished after the person is dead and gone. When death happens, people aren’t going to think about all the good memories and accomplishments a person has made in their lives, they are only going to think about how many pills they took to die or how big the needle was that was injected into their friends’ body to aid in the death of their family member or friend. Physician assisted suicide is preferred because no one wants to suffer in the last days of their lives. In 45 states, assisted suicide is in fact still illegal. So many people suffer until the end. It is good in some cases because when people become terminally ill, they tend to commit suicide in a more violent way. No one would want a person to take their own life in a horrible way like slitting their wrist, so why not let them die in peace. People should be able to die

There are many arguments in favor of Physician Assisted Suicide. Many illnesses like certain types of cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS may result in slow agonizing deaths. Many patients decide to use physician-assisted death because it relieves them from a tremendous amount of pain and suffering. A patient knowing that they’re going to die and that the pain is only going to get worse causes them to choose this decision. There’s no reason in letting a human suffer until they finally give out. “When death is the only way to relieve suffering, and inevitable regardless, why not allow it to come in the most humane and dignified way possible?” (Bender 21). Another pro is that health care costs are reduced. Medical care

The basics of physician assisted suicide, ethical dilemmas associated with it, the requirements for it, and alternative options that a patient has available to them if one chooses not to go with physician assisted suicide. Briefly touches on the ongoing debate, the reasons for or against physician assisted suicide. States the requirements for the prescription for the assisted suicide. There’s a 15 day waiting period, must be 18 years of age, and must be mentally sound and able to take the life ending medication themselves. The American Nurses Association does not allow nurses to assist with physician-assisted suicide. Patients should be given all the information needed to make the decision that will put their death back in their hands.

Physician assisted suicide becoming legal will not make tons of people go out and use it. Haider Javed Warraich, a clinical researcher, defends this. His article “On Assisted Suicide, Going Beyond ‘Do No Harm’” argues how assisted suicide can be a solution for terminally ill patients who continue to lose control over their lives. Warraich analyzes how barely 35 percent of those who request the medication actually follow through with it.

There are many facts or opinions brought up against the physician-assisted suicide. One of the most impactful oppositions is that the law goes against the Hippocratic Oath that states first do no harm. In the oath, the quote “I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.” The counter to that statement is that it is more harmful to do nothing for a terminally ill patient and force them to endure endless pain and suffering when their choice is to end their life (Pros & Cons, 2016). Another opinion against physician-assisted suicide is that by having it as an option it puts pressure on ill patients to take it, so that they are not a physical or financial burden to their families. Some religions see that the physician-assisted suicide is morally unethical. The Catholic Church views the law as morally wrong, killing of a human being, even by an act of omission to eliminate suffering, violates divine law, and offends the dignity of the human person (Death with Dignity.org, 2016). The pope has quoted “Freedom to kill is not a true freedom, but a tyranny that reduces the human being into slavery.” Another opposing viewpoint considers the chance for abuse or misuse by family for monetary gain. One of the hypothetical scenarios is that the family may influence or fool a dying patient into thinking that the suicide is the best for everyone so that they may collect on an inheritance or insurance policy

The healthcare system is complex with nearly every decision made posing an ethical dilemma for patients, providers, and healthcare leaders. With an influx of new medical knowledge from evidence based practices and new technologies more decisions are being made available to patients and families. Terminally ill patients for instance are faced with numerous options when it comes to treatment including whether or not they end their life by terminating treatment altogether or seek controversial options such as Physician’s Assisted Suicide. The topic of Physician’s Assisted Suicide or (PAS) is very intricate with numerous pros and cons, moral ethics, and ways to address the issue within the healthcare practice.

Aside from the most prominent arguments that are used in the debate against physician-assisted suicide, the here and now, we need to look into the future and see how the choices made now will ultimately affect the rest of society. As of right now the only people who are requesting an assisted suicide are those that are considered competent and ‘terminally ill.’ According to Investopedia, terminally ill is defined as “a person who is sick and is diagnosed with a disease that will take their life. This person is usually told by doctors that they only have several months or years to live.” Knowing that one only has a short amount of time left on this earth and fearing that they will be nothing but a burden for their family to deal with they will most likely request for an

Physician-assisted suicides (PAS) successful legalization in multiple locations, including four U.S. states, proves that opponents’ predictions of PAS leading to medical misconduct are inaccurate. Jacob Appel, a doctor in New York City, is quoted explaining, “ Despite predictions that legalization would lead to abuse or to decrease in palliative care, jurisdictions that have sanctioned the process, like the Netherlands and Oregon, have shown that a system of assisted suicide can be implemented responsibly” (qtd. in “The Right to Die: Do terminally ill patients have a right to die with the assistance of a physician?”). Appel’s claim is corroborated by Lewis Cohen who says,

In the United States, physician assisted suicide is legal in six states. People from other countries will come, or bring dying family members, to these states to give them the relief that they ask for. Oregon was the first state to pass their Death with Dignity Act in 1994. Washington, Vermont, California, Colorado all followed suit, two just legalizing it in 2016. Montana’s supreme court, during Baxter v. Montana, ruled there were no laws making physician assisted suicide illegal. In addition to these six states, District of Columbia has passed their Death with Dignity Act in 2017. Every state has had bills in their congress debating whether to legalize physician assisted suicide. It has been estimated that a thousand people, in any state,

Those who oppose Physician Assisted Suicide use a slippery slope argument that Assisted Suicide would inevitably lead to more morally questionable or unacceptable practices. Likewise, financial concerns may be a factor in requests for legal interventions as well as in requests for Assisted Suicide. For example, they argue that making Assisted Suicide legal greatly increases the possibility that some patients would feel compelled or forced into requesting aid in dying. Opponents of Physician Assisted Suicide also fear that for reason of convenience or cost, patients may be urged to accept Assisted Suicide, because it’s easier and less costly than providing aggressive palliative care. A study of Oregon's first year of legalized Assisted Suicide

The arguments for physician assisted patient suicide. Assisted suicide: The Philosopher’s’ Brief, they argue that if it is acceptable to terminate medical treatment with the intention that patient due then it is acceptable to assist in killing with the intention the intention that that patient die, at least when the patient consents and agreed on it. They argued that there is not ethical difference between killing and letting die. They also believed that people have the right to make important decisions about their own lives, and to be killed or let die could be a mean to facilitate these decisions.