Someone who has a terminal illness that doesn’t want to be a burden on their family will decide to go to the doctors and request help to die, known as assisted suicide. Assisted suicide is not legal in many states. In fact assisted suicide is illegal in several countries including Britain. Is assisted suicide morally right? Why do people decide to go with the decision of assisted suicide? Those with HIV have no hope in surviving but those with cancer still have a chance, does this impact the chances of getting approved for assisted suicide?
As I was reading the article Physician assisted suicide- A Nurse’s perspective, I read how not every nurse believes that Physician assisted suicide is correct while others believe that it’s not murder it’s in fact a way to end all suffer and pain and depression. Some nurses can argue in this act in bring “compassionate and merciful”. Not every nurse will have the same beliefs or values on this subject but it still is important for them to be aware of it in case they’re faced with dealing with someone that wants to go for the option of assisted suicide. There are certain criteria’s that you must meet in order to get approve for assisted suicide, which include, getting examined by two professionals and have them conclude
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Jolene is suffering from cancer after being cancer free for five years. She does not want to be a burden on her family. She addresses to her nurse that she does not want to wait until the cancer kills her. In her state Physician assisted suicide is permitted and if it’s what she wants to do and meets the requisites then she can go ahead with this process. (Harris, 2014) As I read what the patient wants article, I read of another reason why the ill patients go with this choice; they don’t want to suffer any more. The pain is not bearable to tolerate any longer and they know they’re going to die soon and they don’t want to keep suffering and waiting until that
“The real reason for not committing suicide is because you always know how well life gets again after the hell is over.” People are unable to realize how their situation can be resolved better than having to kill themselves. Terminally ill patients are notorious for taking their lives before they can realize the mistake they are making. They believe that it is best for their situation, however, there are multiple reasons for why they should reconsider their actions before something terrible happens. Doctor assisted suicides should not be allowed because of the effects it has on the deceased loved ones and how more terminally ill patients are overcoming their disabilities.
Though, in this paper, I have addressed several points that Dennis Plaisted has presented on why we should not legalize physician assisted suicide due to the issues with autonomy that convince the public that the state does not care enough to preserve the lives of those with less than six months to live. I argued that the limits of who and when an ill patient may be allowed to receive PAS are present for the state to relieve the pain of the ill who wish to have control over their death, and that it is only an alternative option for those patients. I considered a counterargument to my criticism, which argues that the state and doctors shouldn’t allow for PAS, as it gives the impression that the state does not care about the lives of the terminally ill. Just as well, the reputation of doctors as healers would be compromised if they supported this form of treatment. However, I explained that the quality of life is more valuable than forcing someone who is ill to suffer until their natural death.
It saves money for the hospitals and focuses on health of those with a potential to live and have future. It also prevents the stress of a financial burden on family members. By knowing about the their loved ones death beforehand, the family can cut down on medical costs. Since drugs for assisted suicide are far less expensive than the cost of medical care, this means lower insurance premiums and money saved. This may sound cruel but it saves the family, the hospital and the government a lot of money that can be used to help someone else.
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 suicide can be explained through using the Utilitarianism Theory that supports physician-assisted suicide. Utilitarianism is by definition the actions that are right if they are useful, benefit the majority of people or promote someone’s happiness (Youngman 2013). Assisted suicide is the want of a patient to be relieved of suffering, thus comparing that to their happiness. The Utilitarianism theory holds true for assisted suicide. The patient wants to feel relief from their suffering thus making them happy.
The moral concerns of Physician assisted suicide are equally sensitive and provocative; it is high on the debatable platform with other controversial topics such as abortion after three months. Many claimed that a physician assisted suicide is morally acceptable on behalf of a person who is dying and decided to end the agonizing pain and distress willing. Additionally, the doctor’s responsibility to ease the person’s pain and suffering, therefore, validates the aid provided. These debates are based on countless agreements on the person’s independence, hence, identifies the rights of capable people to decide how they are going to die and what time, especially while dealing with a deadly illness. In contrast, others have disputed the fact the physician assisted suicide is immoral and will be in conflict responsibility of the doctor, which is to save lives Also, they say if physician assisted suicide becomes legal , the chances for elder abuse will increased , mistreatment on the disabled and people living in poverty .
Religious people say that it goes against the fifth commandment which is “Thou shalt not kill.” (Bible) The commandment prohibits the murder of oneself or the murder of others. This is considered a divine law which shouldn’t be changed for the good of a few people, much like how a state law can’t contradict a federal law. For physicians and the general public that disagree with assisted suicide feel that assisted suicide can give society the approval to kill.
Patients health status’ change constantly and there is no absolute guarantee that they have a certain number of months left to live. Sanders and Buchanan (2012), state the prognosis of a terminal illness is not reliable enough to let that decide whether a patient should have assisted suicide. When there is a chance someone could essentially live longer than the doctor thinks they will, it isn’t ethical to use that as a reason for dying. Another reason assisted suicide is opposed is because we can’t truly determine if it is really the patient’s choice. The whole reason for assisted suicide is so that the patient can ultimately have control over their own life, but it is possible that they may be being influenced by others that they should end their life.
Patients have the right to the kind of treatment they want. 3) Conclusion a) Physician assisted suicide can help treat the terminally ill how they would like to be treated. b) The long history of assisted suicide speaks for itself in the matter of if it should be legal or
As the article “Assisted Suicide: a Right or a Wrong” said there are people who disease, handicap or condition leave them unable to take their own lives. Assemblyman Luis Alejo wants doctor assisted suicide to be legal so his Vietnam veteran father can die with dignity if he chooses to do so as told in the article “California Assembly approves right-to-die legislation”. Some of these patients need help to end their lives and if they need it should be made available to them and they should be able to get it Doctor assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill patients. Terminally ill people are just sad people who want to end their life they are people with incurable diseases who are living in pain.
In Favor of Assisted Death People are not aware of destiny; sometimes it just happens that a person from one day to another is detected with a type of terminal illness, which cannot be cured even with the most effective medication. For example, having cancer, they don’t know what to do, nor know when it hits them. However, some people are afraid of dying and leaving behind all their family members and loved ones. Individuals should approve Assisted Death Suicide, because cancer is very painful. People go through a lot of pain, even their families go through trauma, and they have the right to decide their own fate, and have a good quality of life.
(Nordqvist) The law that is being proposed would prohibit a physician from providing any sort of assistance to someone who is attempting to end their own life. The process of physician-assisted suicide should be completely legal because it ends the prolongation of dying, it gives the individual the ability to make a choice and die with dignity, it creates the ability to reserve resources, we already do it
The 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
In this case, and many others worldwide, physician assisted suicide is morally permissible at all ages for anyone with a terminal illness with a prognosis of 6 months. This is supported by act based utilitarianism and the idea of maximizing pleasure and reducing pain and suffering on an individual circumstance. By allowing a terminal patient to die a less painful death, in control of the situation, and with dignity, the patient will have amplified
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS), however, slightly differs from euthanasia as it refers to a killing action processed by a terminally ill patient him/herself 'with the assistance from a doctor, relative or another person' (Nordqvist, 2010). From the terminally ill patients' point of view, it is important that desires for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide should be considered seriously to help them in treatment, regardless whether euthanasia