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Death With Dignity Act Analysis

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On 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. After considerable research she decided to relocate from California to Oregon one of five states where there is a Death with Dignity Act (Maynard).
While some people feel that physicians must do everything possible to keep their patients alive, I believe that the Death with Dignity Act should be a legal option for terminally ill patients. A terminal illness can cause the patient pain and loss of autonomy and dignity, the family of the patient can experience emotional suffering, and medical costs can become …show more content…

The Act allows terminally ill patients to seek life ending drugs following specific rules and regulations from a licensed Oregon physician. Since then four other states have legalized physician assisted death. Washington also has Death with Dignity laws that became legal in 2008. The most recent states to pass laws regarding physician assisted death are Vermont who legalized Death with Dignity laws in 2013 and California legalized it in 2015. Montana doesn’t have a law in place for physician assisted death but in 2009, “Montana’s Supreme Court ruled nothing in the state law prohibited a physician from honoring a terminally ill, mentally competent patient’s request by prescribing medication to hasten the patient’s death” (Death with

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who can stay rest assured in a few states that if they want to end their suffering the patients will have the option. Peg Sandeen describes the reason why she supports the “Death with Dignity Act” her husband John had been diagnosed with HIV, his words were “ I don't want to die that way” at that moment Sandeen realized that a “Dying person” wants to “Decide how they die” (deathwithdignity.org). John only wanted to be in authority of his life until the day he perishes John's desire of being in control until the day he passes on only something the right to die can grant because clearly he has been suffering for many years from HIV and has realized he does not want to be consumed by the disease. John wants to live his life knowing the day

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The documentary, A Death of One’s Own, explores the end of life complexities that many terminal disease patients have to undergo in deciding on dying and dignity. It features three patients, their families, and caregivers debating the issue of physician-assisted suicide or pain relief than may speed up death. One character, Jim Witcher has ALS and knows the kind of death he is facing and wants to control its timing. Kitty Rayl is suffering from terminal cancer and wants to take advantage of her state’s Death with Dignity Act and take medication to terminate her life. Ricky Tackett, on the other hand, has liver failure and together with his family and caregiver agrees on terminal sedation to relieve his delirium and pain.

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This poll also found that 56 percent of Americans believe that physician assisted suicide is a morally acceptable act regardless of its legality, and only 37 percent believe it is morally wrong. Additionally, 62 percent of adults agree that a person has a moral right to suicide” (Ralph A Capone). Other states including Oregon, that have passed death-with-dignity laws include Vermont, California, Colorado and Washington. There is a death with dignity bill that is slated to go before the Maine Legislature in support of physician assisted suicide.

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"And I want to die on my own terms." Because California had not yet legalized medical aid in dying, Maynard and her husband, Dan Diaz, moved to Oregon to utilize the state 's Death With Dignity law. Oregon was the first state to enact such a law, in 1997. In the 18 years after, 1,545 prescriptions have been written for a lethal dose of medication, of which 991 patients used that prescription to hasten their death, according to a study released this week. Most of those patients, like Maynard, had cancer.

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Brittany Maynard was a young woman who campaigned for “Death with dignity” and was an advocate for the organization “Compassion and Choices” that aims at defending the rights and choices of patients at the end of their lives. She was in her late twenties when she experienced a painful malignant brain tumor. She posted a video on YouTube in which she stated that she had chosen to pass away claiming that this decision would alleviate her pain just because she will die the way she wants and not the way she was supposed to. In fact, she had been undergoing terrible headaches, nausea and seizures, but when the symptoms aggravate the pain, she made that decision of prevailing over the tumor by taking deadly drugs prescribed by a doctor and consequently

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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

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Many states like California, Colorado, Vermont, Oregon, and Washington offer the “Death with Dignity Act” to patients with an incurable disease. Although many states are in favor of giving terminally ill patients this option some states like Texas oppose, claiming that “Death with Dignity Act” is morally incorrect. I believe that terminally ill patients should have the right to end pain and suffering when there is no hope of relief.

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The Death with Dignity Act has two arguments: those who believe we have the right to choose how and when we die, and those who believe we do not possess that right; that we should not interfere with the natural order of life. Every year, people across America are diagnosed with a terminal illness. For some people there is time: time to hope for a cure, time to fight the disease, time to pray for a miracle. For others however, there is very little or no time. For these patients, their death is rapidly approaching and for the vast majority of them, it will be a slow and agonizing experience.

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But Physician Aid in Dying or PAD is legal in Washington, Oregon, and Montana. The difference is that euthanasia involves a third party to adminis- ter the dose, whereas PAD leaves it up to the patient to take it. In this presentation I will focus solely on euthanasia, including the role of Dr. Kevorkian and the moral implications of legalizing assisted suicide.

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Becoming terminally ill is a tragedy for anyone, no matter what age. Imagine hearing that you have six months or less to live, with the last of your dying days potentially filled with pain and suffering. Imaging making the decision to endure medical treatment that will leave you bedridden, weak, helpless and without any quality of life. The thought itself is frightening and convinces me more than ever that Death with Dignity, a law that allows an attending physician to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to a terminally ill patient, be passed and legalized in each state for those who meet the set requirements and are mentally competent to make such decisions. Washington, Vermont and Oregon are the only three states in the U.S to have enacted

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When a patient is put on life support many states have set standards of how long they can stay on which creates variations across the country. If the patient can no longer take care of themselves and therefore cannot decide when they are taken off life support it can be given to a friend or family member that has power of attorney and is supposed to make the best choice they see for their loved one. When it comes to patients that are fully conscience and are battling a terminal illness and they want to get off life support or medical take their own lives it brings up the controversy of death with dignity. In a CNN article, a young newlywed named Brittany Maynard was given six months to live after discovery a brain tumor. She lived a life surround by doctors and treatments, but nothing was working.

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According to California’s legalization assisted suicide was not appropriate. Maynard and her family had to move to Oregon, so that she could proceed in ending her life without being questioned. Brittany Maynard eventually took her life away and left those love ones behind. In addition, the fear of death can lead a person to depression such as Brittany Maynard.

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The worst part she had to deal with is having her family watch every step. So she decided to move to Oregon, a state, where she was allowed to be euthanized (Maynard). She states, “When my suffering becomes too great, I can say to all those I love, "I love you; come be by my side, and come say goodbye as I pass into whatever's next. " I will die upstairs in my bedroom with my husband, mother, stepfather and best friend by my side and pass peacefully. I can't imagine trying to rob anyone else of that choice.”

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With most websites that have a definition for the right to die, there are a few that don’t have a definition. It is still a relatively new and there is a right to die moment that allows terminally ill patients to take their life. This particular organization called Hemock Society which mission is to also have laws for physicians-assisted suicide. As of April 24, 2017 there are only six states that allow the death with dignity. The first state to legalize physicians-assisted suicide is Oregon and the second is

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1321 Words | 6 Pages

Brittany Maynard has been fed up with the government making medical decisions for her and patients in the same situation as her. This is what was on her mind “How dare the government make decisions for terminally ill people like me. Unfortunately, California law prevented me from getting the end of life option I deserved. No one should have to leave their home and community for a gentle death.” She has set things right for terminally ill patients in California.

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