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Pros And Cons Of Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide

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Euthanasia and assisted suicide is huge controversy that we face today. Many people believe that euthanasia is morally wrong and that it should be banned but others say that euthanasia should be a choice given to terminally ill patients who are suffering in immense pain.

Many believe that euthanasia shouldn’t be an option because patients have palliative care to keep them out of pain but the thing is that palliative care doesn’t always work and without the choice of assisted suicide, patients will find their own method of ending their lives. Susie Byrne states, “I’ve always felt that even though access to good palliative care is first and foremost in end of life care, there are just some occasions where despite everyone’s best efforts, you’re …show more content…

Brittany Maynard, a woman diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer at age 29 and given less than six months to live, states that she would never make the choice for someone whether or not they should choose euthanasia and asks how someone could possibly tell her that she doesn’t deserve that choice for herself and should have to suffer in pain. Also Chantal Peticlerc states, “But let me tell you, there is nothing more frustrating, when you are a person with a disability and vulnerable, than to feel as if you have no control over your own life.” If someone has a terminal illness they should have the choice to end their suffering through assisted suicide. Patients feel helpless without this option and feel like their lives are out of their control. How would you feel if you were in immense amounts of pain and everything that the doctors tried to do to help it didn’t work? How would you feel if you just wanted to pass away with dignity and in comfort but you didn’t have that option? This is why patients need to have the choice of assisted suicide. It is their life so it should be their choice when and how they leave

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Physician-assisted suicide is a widely controversial issue that is discussed in today society. There are debates over whether it is ethically correct or whether assisted suicide should be legalized for the terminally ill. Each side of the arguments have different viewpoints concerning individual aspects of physician-assisted suicide. Such as certain guidelines that should exist if legalized. Advocates of physician-assisted suicide argue that it should be legal under circumstances such as great suffering through terminals illness.

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Introduction People have moral and ethical values that assist them in making decisions about their healthcare on a daily basis. What if a person found out that they had a terminal illness and only had months to live? What if those few months would be filled with treatments, pain and suffering, tear filled family members, and high cost medical bills? Physician- assisted suicide remains a debated topic which causes physicians, nurses and those involved to take a look at what they value and what they are willing to do in order to carry out a patient’s wishes.

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The debate over whether or not physician-assisted suicide should be a legal option for dying patients has long been a topic for discussion amongst members of the medical community. There are pros and cons for each argument, however, at the center of this debate is the consideration of patient advocacy and well-being. Although every health care profession centers their profession around providing the best ethical care for the patient, the most important value to consider are the decisions the patient makes for themselves. Currently, patients are given many safeguards such as living wills, a durable power of attorney, and the option for do not resuscitate that act as guidelines for end of life treatment. Physician-assisted suicide

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Though I may not encounter a person contemplating physician-assisted suicide, I will encounter patients who are terminal and who will be dealing with death and dying. There will be points in my career that I face patients who have been fighting illnesses for long periods of time. Patients decide to stop their coarse of treatment if they feel that they are tired of fighting or the side effects of the treatment are not going to give them the quality of life they want for the remainder of their life. In this case, they are not choosing physician assisted suicide, but they are choosing to let the illness run its coarse and most likely die sooner than they would with

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In addition, since the obligation of physicians is to make people feel more comfortable, including relieving pain and suffering of illness from patients and enhancing their living standard etc., normally this aim is achieved by curing them; however, if it can be sure that patients are unresponsive to treatments, then agreeing with helping suicide would be the only way for physicians to prevent the dignity and self-esteem of dying patients. According to the study in Oregon in the U.S., where physician-assisted suicide is legal, by M.P.H. Ganzini et al. In some instances, severe symptoms may cause patients have no dignity and loss self-care ability (Ganzini et al, 2009). Therefore, it is not humanistic to leave dying patients in pain from illness when there is no any ways to cure

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The conception of the end of life decision is generally associated with one’s moral and ethical beliefs. In terms of the end of life decisions, one might be more inclined to support concepts such as “death with dignity”, while others might push for “life at all costs”. When one's quality of life can no longer be improved, physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia may come into play. Assisted suicide is a controversial issue that should be legalized, giving patients with terminal illnesses the choice on how their life will end. Assisted suicide in America has been a very controversial topic.

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If patients have the right to refuse medical treatment, they should have the right to choose to die under certain circumstances. Those being, they meet an age requirement, have a terminal illness, and are mentally unwell. One of the benefits of physician-assisted suicide is that patients will no longer suffer physically or emotionally. Being sick and in pain for such long periods of time causes patients to become tired and lose their dignity, “Even though patients nearing death have concerns about physical pain and suffering, they are also highly focused on loss of dignity, loss of control, and being a burden or dependent on others”(Alters). Incurable pain and sickness should have a way to end.

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Advocates, such as myself see the fight for physician assisted suicide as moral, just as well as necessary. From a legal, religious and human rights standpoint the legalization of physician assisted suicide is justified for terminally ill patients. Physician assisted suicide is defined as a process in which a physician is allowed to prescribe and deliver lethal doses of medication to a terminally ill patient with the request to die. Euthanasia is

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Committing suicide Should doctors ever help terminally Ill patients commit suicide? There are many people suffering from the terminal illness that feel as if they can no longer take the pain, but should they in such a distressed state of mind be offered the right to decide to terminate his or her life. One must ponder long and hard on this reality. Physician-assisted suicide should be an illegal practice in American society. By defining the emotional impact that suicide impacts on loved ones and the morality of this decision to terminate one’s life, by refuting those who claim suicide is right

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In an article about Brittany Maynard, her mother explained “as passionate as Britt was about being in control of her own destiny as she progressed toward her goal of physician-assisted death, she was equally passionate about it is a choice everyone should have, all across the country. With so few viable options available for those who are terminally ill, she felt that to withhold an option that could reduce suffering isn't just inhumane, it's

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Would you want to live the rest of your life in extreme physical pain? The discussion of Assisted Suicide has sparked controversy around the world for decades. Assisted Suicide is when nurses end a patient’s life when they are suffering greatly from a mental or physical illness. Assisted Suicide has a dark history regarding who they killed and for what reason, and that needs to change with regulations. I believe that Assisted Suicide should remain in practice for those who are in constant physical pain due to chronic illnesses and diseases.

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However, I argue that anybody feeling any kind of pain shouldn’t be given the choice to end their life. You’re getting rid of the situation they’re in, but at the same time getting rid of them. Life is something fragile and valuable, whether they’re pleading for death or not, they are vulnerable and need care and more options. Not the ‘freedom’ to go and end their

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There are many people suffering and physically lingering because of terminal illness. “Advocates of assisted-suicide laws believe that mentally competent people who are suffering and have no chance of long-term survival should have the right to die if and when they choose”(NPR Staff). This could not be truer, every person should have the right to decide, if well enough when it is appropriate to end their life, only if they have a terminal illness. Since the act began in Oregon in 1997 almost 700 people who are no longer suffering have taken their lives with prescribed medicine (Staff). Think about all the people from different states who wish they could stop their suffering so they do not have to be a burden on their family.

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While some people may believe that we should respect the wishes of individuals facing ongoing pain and suffering for a terminal illness, and provide the choice of a dignified, pain-free death. This is because dying with dignity means that the someone suffering from a terminal illness should be allowed the choice to end their life naturally and comfortably, rather than live a life in pain and that is prolonged by machines. Dr. Rodney Syme, who is the vice president of dying with dignity Victoria, stated that: "The simple fact is for many people dying is a very painful and distressing experience, causing a lot of suffering." This quote shows that for many people dying is very painful and distressing experience which causes the person to suffer from physical and mental effects. This quote shows that is euthanasia was legal it wouldn’t cause the person to suffer from the physical and mental effects that death has caused on a person.

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Many people think that those who ask for assisted death is due to the unbearable physical pain, but the truth is they are afraid of the possible consequences of their illness. We are tricked by the desire of patients who ask for assisted death and we think that it is for their own goodness to stop the pain and let go of suffering. “Obviously, no one wants to be a burden to their families, friends, and communities. But it’s also true that no one wants to die. Those people who say “let me die,” usually don’t mean what they say, and in fact are thankful when their request is denied.”

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