Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

Physician 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. Physician assisted suicide should not be considered murder in the United States because it is

Most of these statements come from religious persons or the physicians themselves. They claim that not only is it morally unjust but it is considered murder, “Today, nearly all states prohibit assisted suicide and euthanasia. In Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, assisting suicide is considered murder.” (Raed Gonzalez, J.D., LL.M candidate) For religious people assisted suicide goes against the laws of God. 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. “Legislation that allows people to end their lives automatically creates incentives to seek death as a cost-saving option. The elderly and infirm are seen as burdens and can easily be disposed of. Suicide becomes the easy way out.” (Ben Broussard) Most of the time physicians are against the idea of physician assisted suicide because it goes against their job description and personal beliefs. A physician is “a person who is skilled in the art of healing.” (Dictionary.com) It’s easy to understand why most physicians can’t bring themselves to practice assisted