Brittany Maynard's Argumentative Essay: A Right To Die
A “Right to Die”
Every day, individuals pass away from unbearable illnesses. On November 1, 2014, the world lost a very bright, generous, compassionate, and curious individual named Brittany Maynard. She was not just another citizen, and here is why. This past year, on New Year’s Day, Maynard was diagnosed with brain cancer. She was given a terminal diagnosis for which there were no saving measures available. In light of this diagnosis, she decided to end her life by using a lethal prescription provided by her doctor. As a result of Maynard’s advocacy for dying with dignity, the issue of physician-assisted death quickly resurfaced as a controversial topic of discussion. Was her decision to end her life ethically justifiable? Should individuals
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In modern times, the topic of physician-assisted death has gained prominence in the United States in part to the publicized deaths assisted by Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He was a doctor in the 1980’s who allowed over 130 of his patients commit suicide when they found it to be appropriate. Additionally, physician-assisted suicide has come to the forefront of discussion as a result of general concerns about suffering painful, slow and undignified deaths under a medical care system that is able to extend dying, but not necessarily living. What exactly is physician-assisted suicide? Often referred to as a person’s right to die, assisted suicide is simply death assisted by another person, particularly a medical professional. Assisted death is a version of voluntary active euthanasia, which is different from the withdrawal of life-support, a passive type of euthanasia. The health professional prescribes the terminally ill patient a medication that will allow them to end their life immediately in an environment chosen by them. To date, physician-assisted suicide is legal in Vermont, Montana, Oregon and Washington and other places around the world. Concerning the debate over this issue, some individuals believe that patients considered to be terminally ill or in extreme pain have the right to decide their death, and in doing so, receive the help of a doctor. On the contrary, others argue that patients should not be allowed to choose death with the help of a health
Legalizing Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay
463 Words | 2 Pages“No, you can’t tell me what to do with my body. I want to know what all of my options are” (Maynard 1.) Though assisted suicide is a choice that Maynard has sought out, it is not necessarily her best or only
Argumentative Essay: Oregon's Death With Dignity Law
1554 Words | 7 PagesPublic opinion polls showed increased support for physician assisted suicide. This was due in part to technological advances in medicine as well as a greater recognition of patient’s rights.” Twenty-nine-year-old Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, took her own life in November 2014 following a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. “A Pew poll conducted after Ms. Maynard’s death, revealed that people viewed this as a heroic act. Also, revealed, the majority of Americans, most likely including physicians, now favor legalizing physician-assisted suicide for painful and incurable conditions: 68 percent in favor, 28 percent opposed.
Death With Dignity Argumentative Analysis
296 Words | 2 PagesBrittany Maynard chose to the “Death with Dignity” option after learning that she only had six months to live after her brain cancer became more aggressive and turned to a grade 4 glioblastoma. She moved from California to Oregon in order to legally receive a prescription of a lethal dose of barbiturates. Oregonis one of five states in the U.S that has the passed the Death with Dignity Act. Brittany chose this option because she did not want to go through radiation or live the last of her days in pain while her family watched. Brittany stated, “Because the rest of my body is young and healthy, I m likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind, and my family would have to watch that,” (page 565).
Death With Dignity Act Analysis
878 Words | 4 PagesOn November 1, 2014, just shy of her 30th birthday, a young woman named Brittany Maynard, utilized Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act to end her life. She had been diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal cancer just eleven months earlier. After having brain surgery in an attempt to stop the growth of the tumor, the tumor came back and doctors only gave her six months to live. With no cure her only option was radiation that could leave her scalp with first-degree burns and her hair singed off. Brittany and her family decided that radiation was not worth the physical and emotional pain it would cause.
Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay
1149 Words | 5 PagesPhysician Assisted suicide is the act of a doctor helping the patient die because the patient is suffering from an incurable disease and are terminally ill. Unless you are terminally ill this is something you might never understand. Until I started researching more about assisted suicide I never understood really what it was. If a patient is terminally ill I believe that they should have the right to decide whether to end their life or continue. If the patient decides ending their life will help them, it should be the job of the doctor to provide and help the patient die safely and free of as much pain as possible.
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437 Words | 2 PagesThe first of many reasons that physician assisted suicide should be legalized across the whole nation is the fact that it is an option that is covered by many safeguards that ensure that the patients who receive the deadly prescription are those who are, in fact, terminally ill. One such example of these safeguards comes from the Oregon Death With Dignity Act which states: “Requests for [Death With Dignity Act] drugs must be confirmed by two witnesses and approved by two doctors. The patient must not be mentally ill. And most important of all, both doctors must agree that the patient has no more that six months to live.” (Drum).
Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide
666 Words | 3 PagesAssisted suicide Physician assisted suicide is a comfortable way to die instead of suffering from terminal illness. It gives people the chance to make their own choices. Assisted suicide is ethical because it saves family members from suffering, it is more beneficial for health care, and it gives people the right to take control of their life. Some may argue that assisted suicide is a selfish move because it ultimately plays with the life of another.
Persuasive Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide
1223 Words | 5 PagesPhysician-assisted suicide is a great way for someone who is terminally ill to die comfortably, without suffering through months of pain and agony. There are, of course, rules and regulations that control who can take advantage of these new laws. In the six states that currently allow this by law, physicians can aid someone in death in a few different ways. The most common procedure is to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to hasten the dying process.
Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide
852 Words | 4 PagesPhysician assisted suicide is when a physician provides the means required to commit suicide, including prescribing lethal amounts of harmful drugs to a patient. In the United States alone, there is great controversy about physician assisted suicide. The issue is whether physician assisted suicide is murder or an act of sympathy for the patient. The main point is that terminally ill patients should have a right to physician assisted suicide if it meets their needs and is done properly. Physician assisted suicide is an appropriate action for the terminally ill that want to end their life in peace before it ends at the hands of the terminal disease.
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1265 Words | 6 PagesAlthough Assisted suicide is illegal in most states, it is well known to help many patients, however opposing sides sees the impact it has on family and medical physicians who think it is unethical. Physician assisted suicide is for those who have life threatning illnesses and who do not have much time to live. However, from a legal standpoint, Physician assisted suicide does not include active
Persuasive Essay Against Assisted Suicide
1781 Words | 8 PagesAssisted suicide has caused many divisions in the medical field on whether assisted suicide should be legalized. In September 1996 issue of the BMA news review, the results of a survey of over 750 GPS and hospital doctors showed that 46 percent of the doctors supported a change in the law to allow them to carry out the request or a terminally ill patient for voluntary euthanasia, 44 percent were against euthanasia and supported the present law and 37 percent said they would be willing to actively help end the life of a terminally ill patient who had asked for euthanasia and so assisted suicide, if the law allowed it.” (www.idebate.org/debatebase/debates/assisted-suicide/house-belives-assisted-suicide-should-be-legalized) What we should all know is that we have a God given right to choose how we want to live our lives within the limits of the law. We choose how we want to live and where, we also choose our career paths our significant others as well as
Thesis Statement For Physician Assisted Suicide
522 Words | 3 PagesThe Right to Die 1) Introduction a) Thesis statement: Physician assisted suicide offers patients a choice of getting out of their pain and misery, presents a way to help those who are already dead mentally because of how much a disease has taken over them, proves to be a great option in many states its legal in, and puts the family at ease knowing their love one is out of pain. i) The use of physician assisted death is used in many different countries and some states. ii) Many people who chose this option are fighting a terminal illness.
Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay
1228 Words | 5 PagesPhysician assisted suicide has been an intensely debated problem for years but if used properly, could be an effective way to help those who are suffering at the end of their life. Countless people have been advocating for physician assisted suicide for years and the most famous advocate for assisted suicide was Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He was a pathologist but received the nickname Dr. Death after it was estimated that between 1990 and 1999 he assisted 130 terminally ill individuals in their assisted suicides (“Jack Kevorkian”). Dr. Kevorkian is considered a crusader for physician
Legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay
1179 Words | 5 PagesThe medical field is filled with opportunities and procedures that are used to help improve a patient’s standard of living and allow them to be as comfortable as possible. Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is a method, if permitted by the government, that can be employed by physicians across the world as a way to ease a patient’s pain and suffering when all else fails. PAS is, “The voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician.”-Medicinenet.com. This procedure would be the patient’s decision and would allow the patient to end their lives in a more peaceful and comfortable way, rather than suffering until the illness takes over completely. Physician assisted suicide should be permitted by the government because it allows patients to end their suffering and to pass with dignity, save their families and the hospital money, and it allows doctors to preserve vital organs to save
Argumentative Essay: The Right To Die
1321 Words | 6 PagesThe Right to Die has been taking effect in many states and is rapidly spreading around the world. Patients who have life threatening conditions usually choose to die quickly with the help of their physicians. Many people question this right because of its inhumane authority. Euthanasia or assisted suicide are done by physicians to end the lives of their patients only in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana, New Mexico and soon California that have the Right to Die so that patients don’t have to live with depression, cancer and immobility would rather die quick in peace.
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