At the age 29, Brittany Maynard decided to take her own life with the help from her doctor (Egan, Nicole). This was after she was diagnosed with an inoperable terminal brain cancer, and having been given only six months to live. The diagnosis meant that she would be subjected to aggressive chemotherapy, after which, she would lose all her cognitive abilities; and later die (Maynard, Brittany). Maynard decided to move to Oregon, a state that permits physician-assisted suicide, in the hope that she would eventually get help (Egan, Nicole). Before her death, she made her life into a campaign to have terminally ill patients get the right to die. In support of her decision, I think terminally ill patients should get the right to die in dignity instead …show more content…
Even then, a few European countries and only five states in the US allow any form of euthanasia. However, more than twenty states are drafting bills and appealing to the courts to have physical-assisted suicide permitted in their states. The issue is taking a center stage and more and more countries are considering legalizing physician assisted suicide on terminally ill patient; showing the gravity of the situation. The thoughts of having a person fills critics with dismay. Some think that it is ethical and entirely right (Dworkin, Gerald et al., 121). Whereas ending a fellow human’s life is wrong, ending the pain of a friend, a family member or an acquaintance is dignified. However, skeptics think that legalizing physician assisted suicide is the first step to increase in premature deaths for ill patients (Paterson, Craig, 24). They assume that with the right to take a life, a terminally ill patient will be subjected to thoughts of assisted suicide as a cheaper alternative to alternative pain relieving …show more content…
The choice to live die should life solely on the patient and not the doctors or the relatives. While the society supports euthanasia, they hypocritically condemn the doctor assisted deaths. This has forced doctors to perform physician assisted suicide in closed hospital environment under the legal oversight. It is painful that a choice to end or continue with life has to be settled with winks and nods from the patients due to the illegality of the issue. While some may argue that assisted deaths will lead to bully and manipulation of patients by rogue doctors, cash strapped families, or even insurances, it is in reality, not true. Oregon established the Death With Dignity Act, in 1997, and so far, no cases of manipulation has been reported (Goligher, Ewan C., et al, 150). In fact, most of the terminally ill patients requesting for physician assisted suicide are well educated, receiving primary care, and well insured. These patients ask for assisted –death due to the pain they are going through, as well as their desire to die peacefully with their dignity