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Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

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There are only four states in the United States that offer physician assisted suicide they are California, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Physician assisted suicide is a form of euthanasia where a doctor provides a lethal amount of drugs so a patient can willingly end their life. This topic is controversial because some people think that it goes against all commonly accepted laws of medical ethics for a doctor to assist in the suicide of a patient and that the wrong people could request it. Physician assisted suicide should be legal and accessible for all people because painful terminal illnesses can’t always be cured or become less painful, and people in that much pain shouldn’t have to suffer when there are other options.

Some terminally …show more content…

In an article written but Saeed Ahmad, a physician assisted suicide supporter, he says “where PAS is legalized, patients are allowed to seek PAS only if they meet certain, strict criteria, including having the mental capacity to make their own decision, and have received a prognosis of less than 6 months of life expectancy. ” (Ahmed). This explains that although it meet seem like some arguments could be made for all people to get the treatment, but the patients have to qualify and meet strict criteria. Another subject Ahmed argued was a patient's guilt left on their families, “there are serious life concerns exhibited by terminally ill/psychiatrically ill patients over losing their autonomy and becoming a burden to their families and caregivers” (Ahmed). This quote explains that some patients who aren’t going to live without expensive medical attention feel guilty about burdening their families with overwhelming debt from medical bills. If they could receive the treatment there wouldn’t be anymore guilt from the patient and massive medical bills. If we legalize assisted suicide in all states then we could relieve guilt and medical bills for families and the patient. Also, the counterargument from the con section showed there’s a process and not just anyone can receive the

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Patients seek relief from symptoms as unremitting severe pain, difficulty breathing as like choking and suffocation, nausea and vomiting. A terminally ill patient has the worry and concern about the well-being of their families who are often taking care of the dying loved one and paying the expensive bills for their treatments (The Positive Aspects of Physician Assisted Suicide). There are some people that are not for Physician Assisted Suicide because it is against some religion; it demeans the value of human life and they think that doctors are given too much power and it could be wrong and unethical (should an incurably-ill patient be able to commit physician assisted suicide?). People that are not for Physician Assisted Suicide because there is grief involved. Sometimes what is to be a lethal prescription ends up not being so lethal?

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