The American Medical Association has generally argued against physician assisted suicide on the grounds that it undermines the integrity of the profession (Braddock & Tonelli 1998). Although patients can commit suicide without the aid of their physician it is still against the law and it can affect family members after they are gone. Opinions differ on the ethical consequences of trying to make physician assisted suicide the responsibility of doctors, but prior consideration of such ethically relevant consequences the question arises of whether the provision assisted suicide can logically be part of the doctor’s role (Fiona Randall & Robin Downie 2010). At the same time the state needs to monitor physician to see that they do not break the law and take it into their hands to participate in physician assisted suicide. A physician job description is to aim at the provision of treatments with health benefits in the patient’s best interest, and to avoid adverse outcomes (Fiona Randall & Robin Downie 2010).
On the other hand opponents of assisted suicide do not believe this is the only way to secure a good health alternative. Opponents believe that it is important to make a patient feel comfortable and help them improve their quality of life not end life just because it is an option or that they may feel they are a burden to loved ones. Assisted suicide can be performed by a physician or a person who is willing to help a patient end their life. This paper will focus on physician assisted suicide (PAS), this has been a controversial issue in many countries and have many different opinions on the ethics behind assisted suicide. To further examine the data the utilitarian ethics approach will be used.
Physician Assisted Suicide Why is it only ethical to die “naturally”, after a long illness filled with highly “un-natural” life extending medical procedures? Over the last twenty years, physician assisted suicides have become a sensitive issue in governmental offices as whether to legalize such an option. Even though many religions prohibit suicide and the intentional killing of others, and some believe it violates a portion of a doctors’ Hippocratic Oath, Physician Assisted Suicide should be a legal option for those with terminal diseases or conditions because reasonable laws can be constructed which prevent abuse and still protect the value of human life. Physician assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of one's own life by administration
Assisted Suicide Is Not Murder Assisted suicide is a very touchy issue but should be allowed for all terminally ill patients. Any person who has been diagnosed terminal should be allowed to end their pain and suffering. The term assisted suicide has several different interpretations. The most widely used and accepted is the intentional hastening of death by a terminally ill patient with assistance from a doctor, relative, or another person. Some people think that the definition should include the words, in order to relieve extreme pain and suffering Most people just want to live and die with dignity.
Then there are the people who feel that if people who are suffering have the right to stop life sustaining-treatment then why other suffering patients can’t ask physicians to give them life –ending treatments. Physician assisted suicide has been a big debate here in the America. In 1997 the Us Supreme Court said that there is no constitutional right to physician assisted suicide and the State Legistratures may choose if they want to vote to legalize physician assisted suicide then the Oregon board of Pharmacy put in an order requiring physicians to document if this is for an assisted suicide. In 1999 Oregon became the only US state that voted to legalize physician assisted suicide and in January 1998 one doctor announced his or her participation in the assisted suicide act. There are several countries that currently allow one or the other types of physician assisted suicide.
“Thou Shalt Not Kill” is one of the most well known commandments, and in some cases, most controversial. Assisted suicide is a prime example of one of these controversies. Physician assisted suicide, also referred to as Physician Aid in Dying (PAD), is a practice whereby a physician prescribes a lethal drug dose to a capable terminally-ill patient, upon the patient’s request, with the knowledge that the patient intends to use it to end his or her life. The dose must be self-administered. While generally seen as unbiblical, as well as immoral, this practice has recently become more condoned.
Even though it is already legal, at first when it became legal it spread around quickly. The fear was that doctors would be basically killing patients who maybe have psychological problems and have nothing to do with being physically ill. There was a statement made where it said: “Dutch doctors have gone from killing the severely ill, to the disabled and even the depressed who aren’t physically sick.” In addition too, this case about assisted suicide is iffy because under age patients like 18 year old may ask for it if they do have a problem and are in contact with a physician. The problem with that is maybe they aren’t sure of what they want and are taking the toll on their lives. The way of looking at this is giving medical care and love and compassion to these people.
Some of the criticism is part of a larger body of criticism of pathways and guidelines in general. Some critics believe that pathways undermine individualised care and remove the ability of clinicians to make small changes in patient care (Palmer 2008, Rycroft-Malone et al 2008). For more information on this debate, refer to the discussion in Kennedy et al (2009). Some of the criticism of end of life care pathways relates to law and ethics. In particular, critics state that diagnosing death and putting people on end of life care pathways is a form of euthanasia – one newspaper story featured the headline ‘Sentenced to death on the NHS’ (Devlin 2009).
Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) in Canada 2011-NOV: Case before the B.C. Supreme Court Reactivating Sue Rodriguez' fight: Some individuals -- often those suffering from a terminal illness later in life -- find their physical and/or emotional pain intolerable and uncontrollable. They would like to commit suicide, but lack the knowledge or physical ability to do so. They would like a physician to give them assistance in dying with dignity. However, giving such help is currently a criminal act according to section 241(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada as it is in almost all U.S. states.
| Assisted Suicide | [Type the document subtitle] | | This paper will discuss my article findings dealing with assisted suicide | | Jessica Hairston | 11/10/2011 | | Assisted suicide has always been a highly debated ethical issue that many are confused about and don’t know what it is really about. Assisted suicide is stated to be “physician-assisted suicide (dying) , doctor-assisted dying (suicide), and more loosely termed mercy killing, basically means to take a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to relieve intractable (persistent, unstoppable) suffering. Some interpret euthanasia as the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many disagree with this interpretation, because it needs