ipl-logo

The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

1110 Words5 Pages

An estimated 44,193 suicides occur a year in the United States (“Physician-Assisted Suicide”). This fact shows how many people suffer each year in the United States. This large number of suicides are from people killing themselves due to depression, suffering, and much more. Assisted suicide can help people die peacefully without having to cause pain to themselves. It is an easy and painless way to end suffering to a person of any age. Assisted suicide helps any person end suffering or depression in their lives at any age. The people who are suffering deserve the option whether they want to live or not.
Assisted suicide and euthanasia are very similar. The only difference between the two is that in assisted suicide, the patient is in control …show more content…

If someone is constantly struggling to be happy with their life, they should not have to continue being depressed. Depression is more than feeling down. It is a serious illness that is caused by changes in the brain (“Mental Health Fitness”). Depression can be caused by stress, certain medical conditions, and much more. If there is not a cure for depression and a person is constantly depressed, they should not have to self harm or eventually commit suicide. The person should go see a physician and possibly perform assisted suicide. This supports my topic because it shows how assisted suicide can end depression for a …show more content…

In Oregon,the physician must be a Doctor of Medicine or a Doctor of Osteopathy. The doctor must be licensed to practice medicine by the Board of Medical Examiners for the state of Oregon. (Physician-Assisted Suicide Fast Facts”). These facts show the requirements for a doctor who is helping a patient die. This supports my topic because it shows how skilled or trained a doctor needs to be to perform the act. In Vermont only a doctor of medicine or osteopathy licensed to practice medicine in Washington may write this prescription. A physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other person shall not be under any duty, by law or contract, to give the patient any medication. In Washington, only a doctor of medicine or osteopathy licensed to practice medicine in Washington may write this prescription. Participation is voluntary. Health care providers are not required to provide prescriptions or medications to patients. Lastly, In California the patient must submit two oral requests, a minimum of 15 days apart, and a written request to his or her attending physician (“Physician-Assisted Suicide Fast Facts”). The physician will directly receive all three requests required for the

Show More
Related

Strength Of The Book Night By Elie Wiesel

888 Words | 4 Pages

Strength The will to survive, The will to survive, the only thing driving the holocaust survivors forward in their struggle to survive Auschwitz and having the strength to revisit the memories to tell the story so it is not forgotten. Throughout the holocaust millions of people died at the hands of the Nazi party, in the book night the author explains his experiences throughout his many years at Auschwitz and his story of survival and why strength played a major part in his survival. Henry Beacher states that “Greatness lies in not being strong, but in the right use of strength” and it is supported by the courage, resistance, and the will not to die as shown by the book night and his mission to spread the story. Throughout history people have suffered but have pulled out of their deep pit of despair and have

Read More

Dr. Fletcher's Arguments Against Physician Assisted Suicide

1841 Words | 8 Pages

Since Oregon began allowing physician-assisted suicide of the terminally ill in 1997, more than seven hundred people have ended their own lives with prescription medications in the state alone (NPR.org). Physician-assisted suicide is not only becoming a topic of controversy in the United States, but foreign countries as well. Supporters of the issue believe that competent people who do not have a chance of longevity should be able to choose their fate. Opponents argue that terminal diagnoses can be inaccurate, or that the person with the illness may not be capable of making informed decisions. Assisted suicide refers to the act of one giving another the “Instructions, means, or capability to bring about their own demise.”

Read More

Physician Assisted Suicide Ethical Issues

1350 Words | 6 Pages

To protect the citizens hospices have different way of handling patients who ask for Physician Assisted Suicide. Jessica Cox author of “Hospice and Physician Assisted Death,” performed a study in the entire state of Oregon in 2009 and found out that participation in hospices in physician assisted suicide can be categorized into four general groups. The first group is the one that participate fully by providing information to the patients attending physician but hospice staff is prohibited from administering the medication to the patient. The second group usually gives out moderate participation; they give information about Physician Assisted Suicide and tell the patients to contact their attending physicians, however the staff is required to tell the patient to search for additional information on their own. The third group gives out limited participation; they refer the patient to the doctors and expect the doctor to explain all the details about the procedure.

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

1304 Words | 6 Pages

95% of the time, patient do disclose their plans for these suicides with their families (Oregon 6). This openness allows patients to make plans with their families as well as prepare all involved for what is to come. Peter McKnight once wrote that Physician Assisted Suicide had the potential to reduce suicide, and that having the option of Physician Assisted Suicide available to them, was somehow comforting (McKnight). He adds that terminally ill people will take their own lives if the option is not available, often doing so before needing assistance

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

641 Words | 3 Pages

Physician assisted suicide was first introduced to our society in 1997, when the citizens of Oregan voted to legalize this highly controversial practice (Friedman, 2007). At the time, they passed the “Death with Dignity Act, which allowed a terminally ill person meeting certain criteria to end his or her own life with the help of a doctor” (Friedman, 2007). When a patient meets all the requirements needed to undergo physician assisted suicide, he or she will voluntarily take a lethal dosage of medication at their own discretion. According to the 2006 Eight Annual Report on the Death with Dignity Act, only 17 percent of dying patients in Oregan consider physician assisted suicide, but only 2 percent go through with the procedure. Even though

Read More

Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

509 Words | 3 Pages

Assisted Suicide means that patients have a right to die. According to an article called Issues and Controversies “When patients reach a point where, illness, pain, suffering and lack of freedom have essentially destroyed their quality of life, they should have the ability to end their lives legally and in a dignified manner”(“Right to Die”). Everybody should be able to have a say over how they want to die especially when they have reached a certain point where they are just suffering and there's a way to end it. In Jaret’s words, “I should have the right to take my life when that seems proper and the best thing to do. Suicide isn't illegal.

Read More

Brittany Maynard's Argumentative Essay: A Right To Die

2742 Words | 11 Pages

In modern times, the topic of physician-assisted death has gained prominence in the United States in part to the publicized deaths assisted by Dr. Jack Kevorkian. He was a doctor in the 1980’s who allowed over 130 of his patients commit suicide when they found it to be appropriate. Additionally, physician-assisted suicide has come to the forefront of discussion as a result of general concerns about suffering painful, slow and undignified deaths under a medical care system that is able to extend dying, but not necessarily living. What exactly is physician-assisted suicide? Often referred to as a person’s right to die, assisted suicide is simply death assisted by another person, particularly a medical professional.

Read More

Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

1363 Words | 6 Pages

First of all, there are strict regulations and guidelines that must be followed before the patient may receive the life-ending medication. For starters, there is a strict criterion regarding the patient’s diagnosis that must be met before that patient would be able to start the request process. This means that not every patient suffering from an illness will qualify and is only meant for extreme circumstances. The patient must also “make 2 oral requests and 1 written request for PAD, over a minimum period of 15 days” (Blanke, Leblanc, Hershman, Ellis & Meyskens, 2017, p. E2). According to Quill and Miller, the physician needs “to look for alternate ways to better address the associated suffering, but ultimately to listen to the patient who should be in charge of his life and his body” (Quill & Miller, 2014, p. 249).

Read More

Persuasive Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

1137 Words | 5 Pages

In the United States there are six states that have their own modifications on allowing Physician Assisted Suicide. Oregon became the first state to legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill, mentally competent adults in 1994, followed by Washington and Vermont. California was then the fifth state to sign the “Right to Die” bill legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide. Many

Read More

Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

1065 Words | 5 Pages

Physician-assisted suicide is an option only given to patients that have a terminal illness as well as a prognosis of less than or six months to live. It work as another opportunity for the patient, a way to release their pain and stress. The patient must be mentally competent and must submit both oral and written requests to his or her attending physician at least 15 days apart. Also, the patient must also be physically able to self-administer the drug. It might sounds similar to euthanasia, however, it is totally different.

Read More

Persuasive Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

526 Words | 3 Pages

Assisted Suicide Physician - assisted suicide is when an ill patient wants to end their suffering and requests a physician to give them information about it. If the patient is still interested, the physician will guide them through it and record their status. It should not be frowned upon because the patient themselves approve of the assisted suicide, knowing it was their choice as they die. Physicians have a responsibility to relieve pain, suffering, and respect the patient’s wishes, as well. It is also beneficial to the hospital and to the patient’s close friends and family.

Read More

Persuasive Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

1550 Words | 7 Pages

Certain patients should have the legal right to physician assisted suicide, but the right must be effectively implemented and regulated.

Read More

Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

1228 Words | 5 Pages

Some safeguards around the world include the patient being a mentally healthy adult, two physicians must agree on the diagnosis and must inform the patient of all options and if the patient still agrees to the assisted suicide then a mandatory waiting period ensues (Pope). After the waiting period the patient makes three requests, two oral and one written, and they can rescind the request at any time but if they proceed the patient must administer the lethal medication themselves. These safeguards are precautions to ensure that assisted suicide is done as safely and legally as possible (“Euthanasia and Assisted

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

816 Words | 4 Pages

In recent discussions assisting suicide has been brought up, a controversial issue has been whether to make assisting suicide remain illegal or to push it to go against the law. On the one hand, some argue that suicide in general without assistants is illegal, which is correct. On the other hand, however, others argue that assisting suicide can also be used in a court of law as homicide. In sum, then, the issue is assisting suicide as well as with suicide itself should remain illegal; no one should have the courage to take their own life. While some believe assisted suicide should become legal, assisted suicide along with individual suicide is not the way to solve problems, psychiatric help can make a positive and negative impact on a person’s

Read More

Argumentative Essay: The Benefits Of Assisted Suicide

635 Words | 3 Pages

Dying is not a person’s first choice of thinking. When people think of assisted suicide, they think it is wrong for a person to take their life. Some people think killing themselves is wrong because we were made to take care of our bodies and not harm it. Assisted suicide is necessary because a suffering person should not continue to suffer even though they know they will not make it in the end. Assisted suicide is necessary to some patients because it can make the pain go away when the patient knows they are going to die in the end, but there can be negatives to assisted suicide.

Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of Assisted Suicide

Related Topics

Open Document