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Physician Assisted Suicide Vs Euthanasia Research Paper

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Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Ten out of ten people die at some time, but the way a person dies is different in each case. Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS) are two controversial ways to end a life. These processes differ but they have the same end result. If practice correctly, euthanasia and PAS are meant to end suffering near the end of a person’s life. The two practices have been around for many years and are still being practiced and debated about today. There are multiple arguments supporting the legalization of euthanasia and PAS, and there are an equal amount against it.

Euthanasia comes from two different words: the first part, eu, means good, and the second part comes from the word, thanatos, …show more content…

It is a completely different process with the same results. It occurs when a doctor prescribes a lethal sum of medication to a patient. Then the patient takes the medication, or chooses not to, on their own time. The doctor is not directly involved in the death of the patient therefore it differs from euthanasia. PAS, like euthanasia, obviously requires the consent of a patient. In the places where it is legal, a patient must go through a long set of examinations and tests before they are prescribed the medication (Boudreau, Somerville). These topics are controversial among our culture today and have been ever since they came about. Many court cases, organizations, and laws have shaped how society views euthanasia and PAS …show more content…

During the late 1800’s, medication to reduce pain, like morphine and chloroform, became widely used by physicians. A man by the name of Samuel D. Williams, who was not a doctor, suggested that these pain relievers could also be used for the “quick and painless death” of a patient (Emanuel). While William’s thought was not acted on right away, it stayed with many people for quite some time. Some attempts were made in different states to legalize euthanasia or PAS but none of the bills were successful. Some organizations, like the National Society for the legalization of Euthanasia and the Hemlock Society, began to attempt to educate the population about euthanasia and PAS and why it should become a practice in the

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