Voluntary Active Euthanasia is a type of euthanasia when the physician administers the medication that will end the person’s life. Physician Assisted Suicide or PAS is a type of euthanasia when the physician will provide the means to end the person’s life but the patient actually administers the medication themselves to end their life (Alters, S., 2005, p. 14-15). PAS is the method of euthanasia that was used by Dr. Jack Kevorkian and his suicide machine. RIGHT TO DIE 3 Dr. Jack Kevorkian once said in an interview, “My specialty is death.” (Physician-Assisted Suicide, 2006, p. 832). It is estimated that Dr. Kevorkian assisted in 130 deaths with his suicide
* from the Greek ευθανασία meaning "good death" * refers to the practice of ending a life in a painless manner * some forms of voluntary euthanasia are legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland, * Physician-assisted suicide is legal in four US states: Oregon, Washington, Montana, and Vermont. * from the Greek words "eu"- good and "thanatos"-meaning death; combined means “well-death” or "dying well" * Active Euthanasia - To end a person's life by use of drugs, whether by oneself or with the aid of a physician. * Passive Euthanasia - To end a person life by not taking the necessary and ordinary action to maintain life. This can be done by withdrawing water, food, drugs, medical or surgical procedures.
There are other terms that are similar and refer to assisted suicide. Passive euthanasia is when means of sustaining life are taken away such as life support or antibiotics (Humphry). While active euthanasia refers to a lethal injection or pill is given directly to the patient. Other terms are voluntary and involuntary; involuntary is if patient is in a coma or vegetable state and are killed by a physician without direct consent from the individual (Humphry). While voluntary is when a physician provides knowledge and materials for one to kill themselves (Stokely).
Physician-assisted suicide as defined under the bill is the right to request lethal drugs by the “terminally-ill” who have only six-months to live. The so-called helpless patients then self-administer the drugs with the intent to end their lives. Physician-assisted suicide is more commonly known as doctor-assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia. The first problem with voluntary euthanasia is that it is biblically wrong. Psalm 71:9 states, “Do not cast me off when I am old, do not forsake me when my strength is gone,” and Proverbs 24:11, “Rescue those being led away to death, hold back those staggering towards slaughter.” Both of these state that we should do the opposite of voluntary euthanasia.
It can be broken down into multiple categories which help to give clarity to what exact action is being conducted. Firstly we have active euthanasia which is the deliberate killing of a patient. There is then passive euthanasia where the patient is deliberately allowed to die. Euthanasia is then broken down into three types; voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. If a patient rationally requests for active euthanasia, this is voluntary.
In a research study regarding the experience of Canadian physicians, Heath, Wood, Bally, Cornelisse, & Hogg (1999), physician assisted suicide was defined as the practice of providing patients with an agent, which is self-administered by the patient, with the express purpose of causing death. In contrast, euthanasia refers to an act carried out by the physician with the primary intention of ending the life of that patient. For the purposes of this argument we will consider physician assisted suicide only. The question we will discuss here is should physician assisted suicide be legalized? I will present arguments for both sides of this issue and conclude with my opinion on the matter.
Assisted Suicide: A Right or a Wrong? Period 4 Ms. Gonzalez ERWC January 18, 2012 Unit: Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia Intro: The focus of the Unit is to inform the basic structure of assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide occurs when a physician helps a person take his or her own life by giving advice, writing a prescription for lethal medication, or assisting the individual with some device which allows the person to take his or her own life. The physician lends expertise, the person does the act. Prediction Questions: Before reading any of the article, answer the following question: Isn't it cruel to aid people to take his/her life to end their suffering?
Euthanasia & Socioeconomic Status Final Research Project 05/26/2013 The Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Terminally Ill Patients, Their Families and HealthCare Professionals’ Attitudes towards Euthanasia I. Introduction My topic of interest that I started researching at the beginning of this semester was terminally ill patients, their families and healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards euthanasia and the different things that may affect terminally ill patients, their families and healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards euthanasia. I decided that if I were to undertake my own research study I would focus on The Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Terminally Ill Patients, Their Families and HealthCare Professionals’
Is this true? Do we have 'rights' that extend to ending our own lives? Is it possible to kill yourself without there being consequences for other people? And how much importance should the effects on others be given? Some similar issues are also raised by physician assisted suicide (PAS).
Core Assessment Paper Physician Assisted Suicide Creates Perpetuates the Slippery Slope Argument Abstract Human illness, suffering and death, unfortunately, are part of the human condition, and dealing with chronic illness and death is part of the human experience. With a topic as far reaching as Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS), and, of course the root topic, death, it is understandable that much controversy exist between propends of suicide as a method to ease suffering and their opposition. This paper will address the controversy by presenting a balanced assessment of each argument. The research and findings will show trend predictions in the Slippery Slope argument have been proven factual. Keywords: Physician Assisted Suicide, Medical Ethics, Goals of Medicine, Slippery Slope, Sweden .