Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

Physician-assisted suicide is controversial in healthcare and political realms alike. Currently, this end-of-life option is practiced in five states within the United States. Social concerns regarding assisted suicide revolve around ethical quandaries; providing the means to a patient’s death is contradictory to ethical principles of healthcare providers. Political concerns surrounding the legalization of assisted suicide include disparities in healthcare that may lead to certain populations choosing assisted suicide and the stagnation of current care options. While there is no succinct manner in which to declare assisted suicide right or wrong, each individual must address the social and political concerns surrounding the issue when voting for legislation to legalize assisted suicide or pursuing the option for themselves.

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.

Additionally, the term “euthanasia” does not mean the same thing as assisted suicide. Often people confuse these processes when they differ immensely. Despite this, they remain similar in their resulting death of a human life through the help of a physician. Euthanasia is the direct killing of a patient by a physician by means of lethal injection and it is completely controlled by the doctor. On the other hand, patients in assisted suicide have full control over the process that leads to their death. For this reason, procedures of these sorts must be eliminated as medical treatments and should not be authorized. Consequently, physician assisted suicide has been proven to lead to euthanasia in some cases. Assisted suicide should become illegal in all fifty states of the United States of America because it raises religious concern, endorses legalized murder, puts vulnerable people at risk of abuse, and

Physician-assisted suicide devalues human life. First, PAS is against the laws of something called nature. Second, PAS debate is not new today. It had been debated long time ago in the world before World War Two. According to 30 Logical Reasons Against Assisted Suicide: “The first Nazi victims were terminally ill people.” They were called “useless eaters” (Clair). Those who are terminally ill are looked down upon and considered as a great burden on society, therefore there was no reason for them to live. It is also not right with the long-term illness wishes to terminate their life as soon as possible. Not long ago, near where I lived there was with a man serious cancer. After six months of treatment in hospital, the doctors said patients will

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.

The process of assisted suicide, or physician-assisted death, is a hotly debated topic that still remains at the forefront of many national discussions today. Assisted suicide can be described as the suicide of patient by a physician-prescribed dose of legal drugs. The reason that this topic is so widely debated is that it infringes on several moral and religious values that many people in the United States have. But, regardless of the way that people feel, a person’s right to live is guaranteed to them in the United States Constitution, and this should extend to the right to end their own life as well. The reasons that assisted suicide should be legalized in all states is because it can ease not only the suffering of the individual, but the financial burden on the family that is supporting him/her. Regardless of opposing claims, assisted suicide should be an option for all terminally ill patients.

Physician-assisted suicide better known as (PAS), is the willing intentional termination of a person’s life with the assistance of a physician. There has been much controversy over moral and ethical concerns regarding physician assisted suicide and whether or not it’s use in medical practice is considered ethical and right. This type of medical practice is becoming a great concern to hundreds of people. The question being asked is: should we allow and provide people the right of physician-assisted suicide?

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,

There are limited choices the terminally ill have, and physician assisted suicide is one of them. Physician-assisted suicide gives these individuals that are suffering some control. In today’s society physician-assisted suicide is a very controversial subject of social interest; this should be a socially acceptable way for the terminally ill to choose to die.

It’s the person’s decision. Normally a patient won’t go to the physician to request physician assisted suicide, unless they have had discussed it with their family. Most advocates of legalizing physician assisted suicide generally tend to be viewed or view the families relationship to use as safeguards so no one can abuse its

For the many people who feel that they should have a choice in whether they should stay alive, so many reasons why they want to legalize it. Majority of people don't want to suffer from their illness or they fear of dying alone. Some also fear being a burden on their family or friends or even losing their own autonomy. A physician has the hardest job working with these patients, he is asked to help a patient into death with medicine. There most responsible for proving that they qualify for an assisted death as well the prescribing process and giving them the lethal dose of medicine. On the other side of the field, those against physician assisted believe it goes against their belief and faith in their religion. Surprisingly many others think

If my loving ones were in a situation where they were dying, I would not want to use physician assisted death (PAD). Even if they ask for it, I still would not let them to use PAD. It is against my religion. God gave us our life and hence no one has right to end it. People should not die just because they are sick, they should try hard to cure their illness. We have to fight until our last breath.

What would you do if you felt like you had no way out? Assisted suicide is the process of going to the doctor when you feel like there is no way to make life better, to get a lethal dose of drugs and put yourself out of “misery”. Terminal illnesses and

Disabled and sick patients can feel as though they are being a burden, or they want to be rid of, if they are given the option of assisted suicide. Yes, the opposing side says that the patient should have a choice and will already feel like a burden to begin with. However, when faced with the proposition of a pill that could solve all your problems, won’t the patient almost feel a sort of peer pressure? Now that they have these pills, why not use them?