They also argue that Physician-Assisted-Suicide allows terminally ill patients to avoid unnecessary pain and agony in their final days and also allows the patient to control the manner and timing of his/her own death. Cons Just like there are many pros there are cons to Physician-Assisted-Suicide. Society is fearful of Physician-Assisted-Suicide because they fear being pressured to terminate their lives by the people around them and/or the medical staff. In addition, patients might feel as if they have become a burden to their families and committing suicide will resolve that for his/her family. Another concern would be the message being sent, especially to those who are not terminally ill. Would our younger generation have the understanding that committing suicide is appropriate?
There seem to be two overarching principles supporting the legalization of physician-assisted: autonomy and mercy. I believe that “the principle of autonomy, or self-determination insists that terminally ill patients have the right to extricate themselves from pain and suffering and to control as much as possible at the ends of their lives” (Battin, 1998). Many people that support this issue believe patients living in a state of agony due to terminal illnesses have a right to cease their pain and die with dignity. People have the right to choose between life and death during times of immense pain when death is closely inevitable anyway. Some where you have people against the situation.
The main reason patients think about suicide is because of the endless pain they suffer. This leads to patient’s desire to end life with some dignity. A person’s last months of life shouldn’t be about suffering from severe physical pain. Last impressions of someone should be filled with joy, and respect; which is why terminally ill patients have the right to choose to die with dignity, and not have to watch themselves turn into lifeless
Dying patients sometimes lose all ability to take care of themselves. Vomit, drool, urine, faces, and other indignities must be attended to by nursing assistants. Recent laws in Oregon and the U.K. have started a trend of legalization. But some most notably the U.S. Attorney General’s office, are determined to prevent the laws from going through with physician assisted suicide. Physician assisted suicide is killing one’s self by a patient facilitated by means a drug prescription or by information as an indication of what dosage provided by a physician aware of the patients intent.
Some cons to physician-assisted suicide would include the patient's life continues, despite their pain and discomfort, it may not be morally ethical in some states, and some people may argue whether it is the best for the patient. What is the difference between euthanasia and physician assisted suicide? Euthanasia is the speeding up the process of death in a terminally ill patient by means of removing life support, stopping medical procedures and medications, stopping food or water and allowing a patient to dehydrate or starve to death, or not performing CPR (cardio- ASSISTED SUICIDE
Some terminally ill patients are allowed to end their lives by refusing medical treatments; in all fairness, those who don't have that option should be allowed to choose death. Also by making the process legal, components such as counseling can become a part of the process. Moreover, a doctor's assistance will ensure success, thus eliminating the fear of serious injury (without death), and a lack of suffering. Assisted suicide is a dignified way to end life. According to the research in Oregon, one of the three states legalize PAS, 86% reported loss of dignity was one of the reasons patients requesting PAS.
Physician-Assisted Suicide: Ethical Dilemma SOC120 Professor Kristen Hester August 27, 2012 Physician-Assisted Suicide is a topic that has been the center of controversy for decades; however, is a scenario that goes back to the earliest of times. Moral arguments both for and against this issue arise, quite often passionately, whether a loved one should suffer with the pain and agony of an illness when medicine no longer holds hope for a cure or whether it is more dignified and humane to allow them to choose to die by an injection from a physician. With a certain criteria met, and not decided upon lightly, I will argue that Physician-Assisted Suicide is an option that every person should be able to consider, should the time come that
Most people wonder how they’re going to die; peacefully of natural causes, or by something outside of their control. Hospice care and assisted suicide both deal with matters of dying, and your own personal choice in how you want to die. Deciding on how you want to die is a very personal decision that many people have to make at some point. Hospice care provides medical care, emotional support, and spiritual resources for people who are in the last stages of a serious illness like cancer or heart failure and are about to die. Hospice care also aids the family of the person dying by helping them come to emotional terms of a family member dying.
Physicians Should Assist in Suicide Have you ever had to sit with a friend or family member suffering in pain? Imagine if this person only had six months to live, and those would be the worst months they would ever have to experience. All anyone could do is watch as this person cried and yelled for someone to stop the miserable pain and agony. What if there was a way to stop the pain? Physician Assisted Suicide is a physician intentionally assisting a patient to terminate their life among their request.
Laura Satterfield Professor Gregory Hagan English 101 15 November 2009 Public and Medical Community The Right to Die Physician assisted suicide or euthanasia should be a right granted to all terminally ill patients. Although there are many debates opposing the viewpoint on assisted suicide, it should not be up to ethicists to make decisions between life and death, but to the terminally ill patient. It should be recognized that “patients have a right to make their own decisions to preserve free choice and human dignity: this right includes the right to choose assisted suicide” (Ersek 48) Also, having the access of physician assisted suicide allows the patient to maintain control over the situation and to end life in a merciful manner.