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Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

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The proponents for physician-assisted suicide claim that it should be an option for terminally ill, competent adults to hasten the coming of their death. They truly believe that physician-assisted suicide is “a compassionate response to relieve the suffering of dying patients” (Before I Die: Opinions). This option, according to them, should only be exercised when all medical alternatives have failed, palliative care has failed to relieve agony, the patient requests, to die, and a second opinion agrees that it could be an option. These regulations should prevent wrong decisions of the handicapped, minors, elderly, or other incompetent parties (Before I Die: Opinions). One of the main topics mentioned in the discussion about the legalization …show more content…

They worry that elderly patients would worry about being a burden if they want to stay alive, hurried or insensitive physicians would make the wrong decision or recommendation, or patients who feel they have no other option would feel pressured towards suicide (Before I Die: Opinions). Similarly, a huge debate within the discussion is whether or not “weak and marginalized’ citizens of society are at a higher risk than others. When speaking on the regulations that would be set for patients to be eligible, Ryan Anderson from The Heritage Foundation said “Where it has been allowed, safeguards purporting to minimize this risk have proved to be inadequate and have often been watered down or eliminated over …show more content…

When it comes to younger people, the line gets much more blurry for me. There have been many people that I have known and loved who have been told that they have less than 6 months to live and have lived years longer than their prognosis. I find it hard to allow people to kill themselves that could have years and years of life ahead of them. I agree with the Bible in that we should not take our lives into our hands. I firmly believe that we are a part of God’s plan, and that means that He is the only one who can decide when is our time to die. However, even though I had a lot of debate over whether or not this is right, I do believe that it should be legal for elderly patients to request to die if they have less than six months to live and if they meet up with all of the conditions mentioned earlier, such as being sound of mind and making the request twice in a certain time

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“The real reason for not committing suicide is because you always know how well life gets again after the hell is over.” People are unable to realize how their situation can be resolved better than having to kill themselves. Terminally ill patients are notorious for taking their lives before they can realize the mistake they are making. They believe that it is best for their situation, however, there are multiple reasons for why they should reconsider their actions before something terrible happens. Doctor assisted suicides should not be allowed because of the effects it has on the deceased loved ones and how more terminally ill patients are overcoming their disabilities.

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857 Words | 4 Pages

In current society a debate on a controversial topic is rocking the nation. The debate of the Right to Die has been put back on the spotlight after an advocate for the cause made the choice to end her own life after being diagnosed with a terminal disease. The Right to Die is a campaign which supports every individual's choice to die when faced with a terminal disease. A specific form is called Physician Assisted Suicide which was the way the advocate chose to die. A Physician Assisted Suicide is when a physician prescribes a competent patient a lethal dose of drugs so he/she may use to intentionally end their own life whenever they see fit.

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689 Words | 3 Pages

As controversial as it may seem, they also address the possible cost savings that would be directly affected by reducing expensive medical treatments needed to artificially extend one’s natural life. As with the great amount of opposition from religious organization, there also exists a large amount of organizations that feel they should have the right to choose their own death in accordance with their religious

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470 Words | 2 Pages

Notably, the courts recognize the rights of patients to “die with dignity” however, others see these states encouraging patients to request the lethal injection to not become a burden on others instead of not suffering in pain or even fear of future pain. In this essay, I will focus on the six states law on physician-assisted suicide on the patients terminal condition or disease and whether patients with non-standard reasons such as non-terminal conditions (i.e. pain, disability, depression, free choice, etc.) have the right to end their own lives with physician-assisted suicide by the law.

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2076 Words | 9 Pages

Another big concern has to do with religious beliefs. A lot of family members believe that if a person commits suicide then there are going straight to Hell, which ultimately makes it harder for family members of certain religions to decide what to do. Physician assisted death is a good thing for patient’s that are in an awful amount of constant pain and have no other way of getting

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441 Words | 2 Pages

(Craig and Dunn 507) Many people think that it is better to die then to suffer, but that is not always the case. If the right to die is allowed then the elderly and the sick might ask to cut their life short just so they won’t be a burden to their love ones. Insurance companies might push for it to save money on treatments. There is a time when a person of whatever age is meant to die; it is better to let nature take its course.

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1006 Words | 5 Pages

Should a terminally ill patient with only a few months left to live, dealing with excruciating pain, and unable to move from the hospital bed have a choice to end their life early? Depending on what state the patient is, that is most likely against the law. Physician-assisted death is illegal in the U.S in 45/50 states. Physician assisted death is when someone who is terminally ill and has been given six or fewer months to live makes a decision with help of a physician to end their life. Death with Dignity is a nonprofit organization that campaigns and advocates to expand the freedom of terminally ill Americans so they can decide their own fate.

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As American citizens, we are guaranteed certain unalienable rights, stated in the Declaration of Independence, “[w]e hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson). Still thousands of terminally ill patients are being denied these rights as they discuss end of life care. Physicians assisted suicide involves management of life, the accomplishment of liberty from crippling diseases, and the pursuit of happiness to remove current suffering. Physician assisted suicide should be legalized around the country as an option for terminally ill patients to calmly end their life of

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1736 Words | 7 Pages

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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972 Words | 4 Pages

Due to the rise in the healthcare industry, paying for health care expenses aren't easy. With thousands of dollars going down the drain for a patient to continue to eat and sleep in the hospital, resorting to assisted suicide might be an option they ponder and decide on. Even though it is sad for a patient to want to die based on economic circumstances, some patients, especially the elderly rely on their family's incomes to live, which hurts them more than dying. Having to pay $40 to $100 on a lethal dosage of prescriptions is much better, not only for the family's economic well-being but also because it lifts the burden from the terminally ill patient (Economic Aspects). Just like the Governor of California, who also signed the bill for PAS, admitted he would resort to PAS if he were in excruciating pain (Governor Jerry).

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937 Words | 4 Pages

The opinions on this subject are divided, but who are we, as human beings, to deny the basic choice of another? When a person’s health has an expiration date already on it, she should be able to make the choice to die with dignity. First of all, there are “three states that provide the physician assisted suicide, they are Oregon, Washington and Vermont” (Introduction to Right to Die: At

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814 Words | 4 Pages

A previous study was conducted by William (2000) concerning patients’ attitudes and views regarding the legality of assisted dying. The results indicated that 73% of the participants sought to legalise assisted dying citing that as adults of a stable mental capacity, they had the right to make that choice if the symptoms and pain became intolerable (Wilson, 2000). It is also argued that

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686 Words | 3 Pages

A patient who wants to die that is suffering in pain from a medical condition has the right as a human being to decide whether or not to end their life with the least possible

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1190 Words | 5 Pages

In 2015 nearly 68% of Americans said doctor assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill patients (Gallup). There are plenty of people who have a terminal illness, who have been told they will not be able to live for more than two years, that have lived up to five or even six years. Do terminally ill patients want to die faster? Do the terminally ill patients know what that will do to their families and friends? There was an elderly man who was on oxygen and he knew right where he wanted to die, in his bed at his own home.

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730 Words | 3 Pages

People should also not have the right to determine when they die, only God should. He alone determines when our lives start and end and we shouldn’t mess with that. These people should be able to live their lives to the absolute fullest just as God intended. A life is extremely valuable and we should try to live it as best as possible. So instead of going through euthanasia, you should fight and see what the Lord has in store for you.

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