Physician Assisted Suicide Is Not A Beneficial Treatment...

Physician-Assisted Suicide Imagine having a relative with a terminal illness; perhaps this person feels that their only option is assisted-suicide. Now, put yourself into their shoes. Would you choose to live the rest of your days in pain, or would you choose to die with a sense of dignity? Physician-assisted suicide has been prohibited for many years and many physicians have given their input on the subject, enlightening many on the fundamentals of assisted-suicide; others have stated their opinions on the topic and the way that it violates many people’s moral judgement. Although opposing viewpoints argue that physician assisted suicide is not a beneficial treatment for medical patients, the medicalization of suicide should be legalized†¦show more content†¦The conclusion of going through with the medicalization of the patient’s suicide could help he or she to avoid becoming â€Å"vulnerable to suggestions from family members that they could make everyone s life easier by ending their own† (â€Å"Death† 2) in a more forceful way than perhaps a lethal injection in a hospital. Assisted-suicide is a over dramatic expression for patient autonomy. Patient autonomy is defined as an â€Å"individual’s right to decide what to do with his or her own body, and the duty of the physician to relieve the patient’s suffering† (Rogatz 1). A patient should certainly have the right to choose what happens to his or her own body. The life of a patient should not be put solely into the hands of a doctor. If the he or she so chooses, physician-assisted suicide should be made available to the terminally ill. A physician, although it should be their obligation to help a patient, should not feel obligated to be the assistant in a person’s suicide. Assisted suicide is a source of â€Å"empowerment† for the patients, using â€Å"self-determination†, to make them feel as if they have a place in their treatment and to retain their dignity by maintaining their mental faculties by the end of their time (Salem 2). Laws have been enforced to prohibit the assistance of a physician in the act of committing suicide because it violates the hippocratic oath. The hippocratic oath says that a doctorShow MoreRelatedIs Physician Assisted Suicide A Good Idea?1464 Words   |  6 PagesIs Physician-Assisted Suicide a Good Idea? Imagine having a relative with a terminal illness; perhaps this person feels that his only option is assisted-suicide. Now, put yourself into his shoes. Would you choose to live the rest of your days in pain, or would you choose to die with a sense of dignity? Physician-assisted suicide has been prohibited for many years. Numerous physicians have given their input on the subject, enlightening a multitude of people on the fundamentals of assisted-suicide. OthersRead MoreAssisted Suicide : Rights And Responsibilities1570 Words   |  7 PagesAssisted Suicide: Rights and Responsibilities A woman suffering from cancer became the first person known to die under the law on physician-assisted suicide in the state of Oregon when she took a lethal dose of drugs in March, 1998. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act passed a referendum in November, 1997, and it has been the United States only law legalizing assisted suicide since then. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, more than 4,000 doctors have approved of the assisted suicideRead MoreAssisted Suicide Should Be Option1691 Words   |  7 PagesAssisted Suicide Should Be Option Lauren Bacall once said, â€Å"A man’s illness is his private territory and, no matter how much he loves you and how close you are, you stay an outsider. You are healthy.† This quote makes the point that no one knows exactly what someone with an incurable illness is going through. We are all outsiders. So, who is to say, for example, physician assisted suicide should be illegal? If a person has the constitutional right to live then a person should have the right to chooseRead MoreThe Medical Practice Of Assisted Suicide1734 Words   |  7 PagesMedically assisted suicide is a controversial topic. It is the medical practice of allowing one’s terminally ill patient to take the most painless path to death possible to prevent them from choosing a horrifically painful alternative or simply passing away from their illness however that may be. Many believe that the legalization of this practice would lead to a massive amount of pressure on the terminally ill and lead to an unreasonable and dangerous amount of non-justified suicides. It is alsoRead MoreThe International Code Of Medical Ethics1414 Words   |  6 Pagessense and movement has been controlled by directly or indirectly by brain. The International Code of Medical Ethics, last revised in 2006, includes A physician shall always bear in mind the obligation to respect human life in the section Duties of physicians to patients so ethically it is illegal to kill the diseased or healthy patient. World Medical Association is made up to help the patients’ health and their rights. But from other side, one should think from the patient’s perspective, he/sheRead MoreResearching Physician Assisted Suicide801 Words   |  3 PagesEuthanasia Euthanasia, or physician assisted suicide, is an important and controversial topic in our society today, and (under the correct conditions) should both be considered legal and morally acceptable. In fact, throughout history euthanasia has been a debate in many countries, some areas accepting the practice, whereas others find it unacceptable. Many people and professionals continue to refer to the Hippocratic Oath, an vow stating the proper conduct for doctors, and its famous wordsRead MoreEuthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide1629 Words   |  7 Pagesillnesses or major health problems, assisted suicide creates options to reduce the amount of suffering the patient must enduring. Dying with dignity could be beneficial for not only the person who is dying, but also the person’s family and loved ones. This option, however, is often viewed as unethical and immoral throughout society. Physician-assisted suicide offers an option for those with health issues but poses various et hical and social issues. Assisted death is practiced in two differentRead MoreAs Detailed In The â€Å"Historical Timeline: History Of Euthanasia1321 Words   |  6 PagesAs detailed in the â€Å"Historical Timeline: History of Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)†, the topic of Euthanasia and Physician-assisted Suicide has been around since the 5th century B.C. when ancient Greeks and Romans seemed to support Euthanasia before Christianity. Then, there was a transition in history where the consensus on the matter was that the Church and Common Law prohibited suicide and assisted suicide. The 18th century is where this topic became more prevalent where writersRead MoreThe Ups And Downs Of Euthanasia1288 Words   |  6 Pagesgradually alter. As of May 2017, forty-four states, including Alabama, have laws and prohibitions that deem euthanasia illegal (Should Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide by Legal?). California, Colorado, Montana, Vermont, Washington (D.C.) and Oregon are the on ly states that allow the euthanization of humans (Should Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?). Despite the fact that there are many oppositions, euthanization should be legalized for many reasons. Although it could be characterizedRead MoreIs It Life Over Death?1620 Words   |  7 PagesValuing Life Over Death Life should always be the sovereign choice for all patients questioning whether life or death is best, even if the physical and mental suffering is extreme. Euthanasia is a topic that has been speculated all over the world for several years. It is defined as ‘dying well’ or ‘good death’ in Greek (Ahmed 306), and it was discovered to help give patients another way to ease their pain and suffering. It has only been legalized in four states and three countries, but has been considered