Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide has been a hot topic of debate for quite some time now. Some believe it to be immoral, while others see nothing wrong with it what so ever. Regardless what anyone believes, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal for physicians and patients. Death is a personal situation in life. By government not allowing euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide they are interfering and violating patient’s personal freedom and human rights! Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have the power to save the lives of family members and other ill patients. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal however, there should be strict rules and guidelines to follow and carry out by both the patient and physician. If suicide isn’t a crime why should euthanasia and assisted suicide? Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should be legal and the government should not be permitted to interfere with death.
“The most good is done by allowing people to carry out their own affairs with as little intrusion by government as possible” (Gittelman 372). Dying is a part of life and since it is your body you should have complete and full control over it. Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide should be available for patients because they have the right to choses there “final exit”(Manning 26). Patients shouldn’t have to experience the fear of being “trapped” on life support with “no control” (Manning 27). They should be permitted the opportunity to die with a sense of pride and dignity, not shame, pain and suffrage. To make anyone live longer against their will and is simply immoral. By denying patient the option of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide the government is vi...
... middle of paper ...
...ns. Patients should not be so medically ill that they are unable to make this decision. Patients should be fully conscious and understand the implications of their decision. Everything should be documented possibly even videotaped that way the doctor doesn’t lose their job, receive a lawsuit or worst jail!
Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal and available as an option for patients. Death is a personal situation and decision in life. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide have the power to save lives and by the government interfering and not legalizing it they are interfering and violating patient’s personal freedom and human rights. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should become legal for patients; however, there should be strict rules and guidelines to follow. If suicide isn’t a crime why should euthanasia and assisted suicide?
Imagine a family member being extremely ill and suffering from day to day. When they decide they cannot take the pain any more, would you want them to pull through for you or would you fulfill their dying wish and let the doctor pull the plug? Could you even make a decision? Many people would not allow such an event to happen because with all the pain and confusion the patient is enduring may cause confusion and suicidal tendencies. However, there are people who believe otherwise. This is called physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is a controversial topic that causes much debate. Though it is only legal in the three states Oregon, Washington and Montana, there are many people who are for it and think it can be necessary. Even with morals put aside, Physician-assisted suicide should be illegal because it will be a huge violation of the oath every doctor must abide by, there would be no real way to distinguish between people who are suffering and the people who are faking or depressed, and it causes a lot of confusion to people with new diseases or new strands of disease that does not have a clear cure.
There are many convincing and compelling arguments for and against Physician Assisted Suicide. There are numerous different aspects of this issue including religious, legal and ethical issues. However, for the purpose of this paper, I will examine the ethical concerns on both sides. There are strong pro and con arguments regarding this and I will make a case for both. It is definitely an issue that has been debated for years and will continue to be debated in years to come.
Up to 8.5% of terminally ill patients express a sustained and persuasive for an early death (Marks and Rosielle). Terminally ill patients have long lasting, painful deaths and they should have the option of assisted suicide so they don’t have to go through that. Assisted suicide is when a patient writes a written request to a doctor and after two days the doctor can prescribe lethal drugs to the patient (Engber). The doctor can’t administer them himself, that would be euthanasia, the patients has to take them him or herself (Engber). Assisted suicide should be legal because it ends patient's suffering and pain, and it is their individual right to determine their own fate.
Imagine a scenario where you’re in tremendous pain and you want to end the pain before death comes over you. Even if you wanted to make that choice, the government of the United States has already made this choice for you by illegalizing what is called assisted suicide. There are 3 different kinds of suicide involving the assistance of others; assisted suicide, euthanasia and passive euthanasia, and mercy killing, these came to be a hot topic during the 1990s when doctors and nurses started going to jail because of helping their patients kill themselves, not for financial gain but because it was the humane and just thing to do(Ackerman). As a human we are given the right to life as an infant, so shouldn’t by default we be given the right to die? Assisted suicide should be legal for many reasons, because of our freedoms and liberties, to lessen the amount of end of life pain and to save money.
Terminally ill patients should have the legal option of physician-assisted suicide. Terminally ill patients deserve the right to control their own death. Legalizing assisted suicide would relive families of the burdens of caring for a terminally ill relative. Doctors should not be prosecuted for assisting in the suicide of a terminally ill patient. We as a society must protect life, but we must also recognize the right to a humane death. When a person is near death, in unbearable pain, they have the right to ask a physician to assist in ending their lives.
In conclusion, euthanasia and assisted suicide should be legalized world wide. To end suffering, to keep one’s autonomy and their desire to perform daily actions, and to prevent the fear of burdening loved ones are among many reasons people resort to euthanasia or assisted suicide. A doctor is morally obligated to relieve the pain and suffering of a patient, and no one should be forced to suffer for any length of time. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are intimate procedures that only concern the involved parties. People have a right to choose how their life is lived, so they should have the same right to choose how to end their life.
...d to a person’s suffering. People from all over the world have completely different opinions about assisted suicide. Many people believe that euthanasia is a very effective way of ending a person’s grief. Many people are fighting against the law. The law against assisted suicide is unjust and should be illuminated. The government should have no say in whether a person’s heart stops beating because of their agony. Euthanasia should be up to the sick individual and the government’s decision to place a law should be withdrawn. But euthanasia has to be done in an ethical manner and humanely. Restrictions should be placed around euthanasia and should be done in a very delicate and specific way. It should be understood that euthanasia should only be used under extreme circumstances and to ease a person’s pain. A person’s torturous life can easily come to a gentle close.
In the past couple of years, the debate regarding physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and euthanasia has become a major ethical issue in medical practice as well as an issue that involves the law and public policy. By definition, physician-assisted suicide is when a physician provides the necessary means (equipment or medication), or informs the patient of the most efficacious use of already available means, for the purpose of assisting the patient in ending his or her life.1-2 Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurable condition, in a relatively painless method.3 It is important to note that with PAS, the physician does not directly administer the medication to end life, instead they provide the medication and the patient performs the act themselves while in euthanasia another individual administers the medication regardless of patient consent or awareness.
As patients come closer to the end of their lives, certain organs stop performing as well as they use to. People are unable to do simple tasks like putting on clothes, going to the restroom without assistance, eat on our own, and sometimes even breathe without the help of a machine. Needing to depend on someone for everything suddenly brings feelings of helplessness much like an infant feels. It is easy to see why some patients with terminal illnesses would seek any type of relief from this hardship, even if that relief is suicide. Euthanasia or assisted suicide is where a physician would give a patient an aid in dying. “Assisted suicide is a controversial medical and ethical issue based on the question of whether, in certain situations, Medical practioners should be allowed to help patients actively determine the time and circumstances of their death” (Lee). “Arguments for and against assisted suicide (sometimes called the “right to die” debate) are complicated by the fact that they come from very many different points of view: medical issues, ethical issues, legal issues, religious issues, and social issues all play a part in shaping people’s opinions on the subject” (Lee). Euthanasia should not be legalized because it is considered murder, it goes against physicians’ Hippocratic Oath, violates the Controlled
Other experts believe euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are acceptable, considering that the patient who wishes to be killed is providing consent and is killed painlessly. However, allowing these killings to be performed on any person who desires it would be an improper use of these medical services. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should not be allowed in the United States because they attack the oldest cohort, are inhumane, and violate the social contract of medically trained professionals.
DURHAM N.C. out of nowhere, a patient of i recently met in my clinic told me “if my heart stops doctor just let me go” why I asked him without hesitating he replied “because there are worser states that death”(first atricle) Assisted suicide is like a gift given to a suffering patients.Assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill people because they should have the power to to choose how they want to end them self. Also assisted suicide will help patient suffer less from the pain that they face on their daily life.assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill patients who are in tremendous pain even though there are other medical options.
According to Jyl Gentzler (2003), after someone is experiencing so much pain their life focuses specifically on the pain they lose all of their dignity. At this point they should be able to choose if they want to live and have help ending their life if they choose to. This explains that euthanasia should be legal in the United States because their life becomes centered around their pain. The pain is so unbearable and constant that they should have the right to take their life. Though legalizing euthanasia would mean opening the door to uncertainty, Karen Sanders, and Maura Buchanan (2012) states that the commissioner has suggested that only terminally ill patients that have been given less than twelve months to live, and are over the age of eighteen, will be granted physician assisted suicide. Other suggestions include the patient completing the action of taking their own life and putting in strict guidelines to protect individuals. This source argues that even if euthanasia is legalized there would be certain guidelines in place to protect and guide patients. Euthanasia could be a safe way for terminally ill patients to die with their dignity still intact. These arguments conclude that euthanasia should be legalized in the United
For example, if dying is a less costly choice, patients would feel pressured to choose euthanasia over palliative care, as it would put less burden on their families or caretakers. Proponents of euthanasia say that people have the “right to die” (Math & Chaturvedi, 2012, pp. 899-901). However, they do not realize that the option of euthanasia might give people a “duty to die.” As previously discussed, attempted suicide is illegal. Why should people be allowed to decide to end their lives if they have a great disease or illness when we do not allow them to do so in any other circumstance, even if they are suffering from a mental disorder or some other circumstances that make life seem unbearable? I am sure the people who desire euthanasia are in a difficult situation, which is why they want a way out of it. However, I would also argue that life is tough in general. There are a lot of situations people experience that make life extremely difficult, such as being in extreme poverty or having major depressive disorder, but in those other situations, we expect those suffering individuals to push through. They are not given the option to kill themselves because of their adversity. The government, to be fair and just, should remain consistent. Therefore, euthanasia should be illegal, just like attempted suicide and murder, because it is the active killing of an innocent life.
Lastly, I support the idea of legalizing euthanasia because the patients own their bodies, and they can do anything with it. Even though the doctor is the one who put the patient to death in a process of euthanasia, the patient is the one who makes the decision to be “killed”, and therefore, euthanasia is a type of physician-assisted suicide, which is not any of other people business.
Should a patient have the right to ask for a physician’s help to end his or her life? This question has raised great controversy for many years. The legalization of physician assisted suicide or active euthanasia is a complex issue and both sides have strong arguments. Supporters of active euthanasia often argue that active euthanasia is a good death, painless, quick, and ultimately is the patient’s choice. While it is understandable, though heart-rending, why a patient that is in severe pain and suffering that is incurable would choose euthanasia, it still does not outweigh the potential negative effects that the legalization of euthanasia may have. Active euthanasia should not be legalized because