The Concept Of Physician Assisted Suicide - 1510 Words

The concept of physician assisted suicide is a very divisive issue in modern times. The fact that modern medicine can prolong life has been seen throughout recent generations, but now that lives have been extended for so long some people would like to use modern medicines to put an end to their own lives prematurely. There are many strong opinions about this issue on either side of the argument, but it seems that those who oppose the practice are doing so without allowing themselves to see the full scope of the issue. What they are failing to acknowledge is both a patient’s right to choose the treatments that they feel are best for them and what should be an intrinsic human right to die with dignity. What the advocates for the legalization of physician assisted suicide need to consider as well, however, is the fact that in arguing for this practice to be accepted by society ought to be also defining the practice that they are fighting for. If both sides of the debate allow the mselves to settle on an operational definition of physician assisted suicide that takes great care to ensure that this practice is never carried out frivolously or without care while allowing patients the freedom and dignity to truly decide when to let go. To many people, suicide by definition is wrong. Many people believe that it is never right to take one’s own life, and thus having a physician take a part in giving a person access to drugs that will allow them to end their own life would be theShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide976 Words   |  4 Pageslast months of a person’s life as comfortable as possible, ultimately palliative and hospice care become ineffective in helping with the excruciating pain. Thus, the legalization of physician assisted suicide provides a compassionate death while preserving the concept of patient autonomy. Physician-assisted suicide enables terminally ill patients to die comfortably and peacefully in their own homes. Terminally ill patients suffer through constant pain in their final months, and there remains aRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide As A Suicide1587 Words   |  7 PagesThe Merriam Webster dictionary defines â€Å"physician assisted suicide as a suicide by a patient facilitated by means or information (as a drug prescription or indication of the lethal dosage) provided by a physician who is aware of how the patient intends to use such means or information.† The physician provides necessary information about drugs and patient performs the act of suicide. Letting someone die requires justification and involves personal as well as social concerns. The federal governmentRead MoreThe Medical And Legal Fields About Assisted Suicide1667 Words   |  7 PagesMaggie O’Grady Theresa Mix Honors Comp. 1 10 November 2015 Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of a Means to an End There are a multitude of interpretations within both the medical and legal fields about assisted suicide. The benefits of assisted suicide for a terminally ill individual are notably momentous. However, the argument is not extricated from opposition concerned with the obligations of the medical community. It is paramount to have an even-handed perception of the issue and present eachRead MoreEssay The Physician-Assisted Suicide Argument985 Words   |  4 Pagesreferenced in support of physician-assisted-suicide, or PAS. Euthanasia and assisted suicide are interchangeable terms which both lead to the death of an individual. Voluntary PAS is a medical professional, usually a physician, who provides medication or other procedures with the intention of ending the patient’s life. Voluntary PAS is the administration of medicine with the explicit consent from the patient. In terms of this paper, we focus on voluntary physician-assisted suicide in the elderly, 65 andRead MorePhysi cian Assisted Death As A Person s Ethno Cultural Identity1673 Words   |  7 Pagesissue as physician assisted-death is, it is also one of great merit that offers an opportunity to explore a better understanding of the human experience. Physician assisted-death is often coupled with the term euthanasia and although it can be seen as a form of euthanasia, it differs in that the patient is in the control of the process through which they commit the act of suicide. In the consideration of the role of a human service professional during the procedure that is physician assisted-death (PAD)Read MorePhysician Assisted Suicide And Euthanasia Essay1039 Words   |  5 PagesPhysician Assisted Suicide Is physician assisted suicide ethical? Physician assisted suicide is an up and coming ethical question that examines a person’s right to their own death. Many people support physician assisted suicide, citing that it can save a lot of pain and suffering. Others claim that the concept of physician assisted suicide is a slippery slope. A slippery slope in the sense that if society accepts euthanasia as a rightful death for the terminally ill, they will potentially acceptRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide And Euthanasia Essay1177 Words   |  5 Pages Polk State Physician Assisted Suicide RETURNING DIGNITY TO THE TERMINAL CASES Melissa Kubic ENC 1102-69320 COLLEGE COMPOSITION II Fatin Morris Guirguis Ph.D. November 21, 2016â€Æ' Ezekiel Emanuel once said, â€Å"Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia have been profound ethical issues confronting doctors since the birth of Western medicine, more than 2,000 years ago.† Physician assisted suicide (PAS) should be available as a dignified option for the terminally ill because it can be built inRead MoreEuthanasia Is The Other Form And It Takes Place Against The Patient s Consent1005 Words   |  5 PagesInvoluntary euthanasia is the other form and it takes place against the patient’s consent. Finally, non-voluntary euthanasia is whereby a physician carries out the act despite the fact that the patient does not have the ability to make the decision. To understand the slippery slope here, it is important to take note of the fact that all these forms of euthanasia are morally demeaning since they do not uphold the right to life. Legalizing PAS would, therefore, imply that the right to life is beingRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide And The Rights Of Patients1523 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician-assisted suicide needs to be recognized by the federal government to show terminally ill patients that their right to autonomy is not being ignored. The Bill of Rights of Patients was constructed to outline just this. According to the American Cancer Society, â€Å"the American Hospital Association drafted a Patients’ Bill of Rights to inform patients of what they could reasonably expect while in the hospital.† One of the notes stated in the Bill of Rights of Patients is the right to autonomyRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide is NOT Ethical Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesIs physician assisted suicide morally right? This has been a controversial subject for some time now. People are wondering whether or not it is the most humane thing to do. If dogs can be putdown, why not people? The reason is in that question. They are people. Every life is important, no matter how long it may be. Instead of finding a way to get rid of people faster, the government could put those efforts in something more positive. If other people are considering whether or not the patients’ life