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PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE.   Term Paper ID:26992 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Argues for active euthanasia for people with fatal diseases causing great pain & deterioration. Ethics, medical & rights issues, examples.... More...

6 Pages / 1350 Words 9 sources, 18 Citations, APA Format $24.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Argues for active euthanasia for people with fatal diseases causing great pain & deterioration. Ethics, medical & rights issues, examples. Paper Introduction: This paper contends that physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. The issue of physician-assisted suicide pertains particularly to a group of people suffering from diseases that cause a severe deterioration of human powers and capacities. Some are suffering from intolerable pain, while others find their lives unbearable. In either case, medical technology has only sustained their lives, but not improve the quality of life for them. With the assistance of a physician, these people can gain control over the timing of their death and leave the world in a dignified fashion. Especially at a time when they are losing control over their existence, they can still exercise the personal choice of dying. Unlike the critics’ image of rampant “murders” of unwanted and dying patients either by the physicians or family members, the legalization of physician- Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. J. They know what drugsto use in order to produce a swift and comfortable death. It is only acceptable if it is the keystone of a well caredfor dying process" (qtd. Ravaged by diseases beyond their control, thesepatients are empowered by the fact that they can still assert their ownwill in determining when and how their lives will end (McCord, 1993, p.28). Both require an active measure that results in the patient'sdeath. The Humanist, 54(6), 1 -15.Kass, L.R., Lund, N. In fact,granting them the right to determine their death gives them an element ofcontrol before they leave the world. (1994, December 19). In the Netherlands, the doctor and the patient form asupportive bond that prepares the patient for impending death (Shapiro,"Euthanasia home," 1997, p. In addition, theyalso have the right to refuse the patient's request. The Humanist, 53(1), 26-3 .Smith, W. These people suffer fromdiseases such as multiple sclerosis, end-stage lung disease, advanced braincancer, etc. Final act: Sorting out the ethics of physician-assisted suicide. The issue of physician-assisted suicide pertains particularly toa group of people suffering from diseases that cause a severe deteriorationof human powers and capacities. 36). Terminally-ill patients includepatients whose life expectancy is less than six months, as assessed by thephysicians. Not only do they suffer from unbearable pain, they have toendure the gradual disintegration of their bodily functions and mentalpowers-all things that make them human. For many of them, hospice care does not alleviate theirsuffering. Even though medical ethicists oppose the idea of physician-assistedsuicide, it is practiced legally and illegally all over the world.Legalizing it will obliterate the meaningless fine line critics drawbetween active and passive euthanasia. They want to exercise their rights to die and havethe assistance of their physicians in the process (Shapiro, "Heateddebate," 1994, p. Some are suffering from intolerable pain,while others find their lives unbearable. 3318). Between 1973 and 1983, in the courts in the Netherlands, physicianshave been acquitted of killing their patients so long as the followingconditions were fulfilled: 1) The persistent and consistent active requestby the patient for physician-assisted suicide; and 2) the patient has to besuffering from an illness that both the patient and the physician concur isbeyond recovery (Wachter, 1989, p. Therefore, in theformulation of these provisions, the authors of DDA sought to protect theinterests of all three parties: patients, physicians and the public(Campbell, 1999, p. 22). The act was formulated to serve three objectives andthree groups of people: 1) Offer terminally ill people the right to die ina "human and dignified" fashion by ingesting lethal pills prescribed by aphysician; 2) protect physicians from professional and legal prosecutionfor their involvement in the deaths of their patients; and 3) to guaranteethat the practice will be regulated and accountable to the public(Campbell, 1999, p. Last rights. In either case, medicaltechnology has only sustained their lives, but not improve the quality oflife for them. However,the physicians involved plays an integral role in informing the patients oftheir options. Maarten Sutorius, a Dutchattorney who defends physicians accused of euthanasia, describes the rolephysician-assisted suicide should play in the overall care system for dyingpatients: "Euthanasia should not become an answer to failing care, fear,and loneliness. Courting death: assisted suicide, doctors, and the law. In the United States, many old people receivefutile treatments that have no effect other than prolonging theirexistence, without improving the quality of life ("Last rights," 1997, p.24). The call for physician-assisted suicide comes in an era when life canbe prolonged by medical technology. (1989, December 15). S. In addition, the physicians have to refer the patientsto another physicians to verify the medical results and check their mentalstatus. Opponents ofphysician-assisted suicide paint the terrifying scenario of mentally-unstable patients requesting termination or physicians unilaterally killingthe patients. The physiciannor the family members have the right to place pressure on the patient topursue this course. In this paper, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act (DDA)passed in 1994 and the guidelines used by the Dutch courts will be used asexamples for describing the criteria required for enforcing physician-assisted suicide. (1998, June 9). Therefore, legalization will place the onus onphysicians to do the right things in accordance to the laws or riskprosecution. ReferencesCampbell, C. (1993, January-February). This vital connection betweenphysician and patient lies at the heart of physician-assisted suicide. They should provide thepatients with all the information necessary to allow them to make aninformed decision. In making their decisions, patients should find out about thediagnosis of their condition and the prospects of improvement or recovery.Furthermore, they should explore the other viable possibilities. Especially at a time when they are losing control over theirexistence, they can still exercise the personal choice of dying. U.S. Just as in Oregon,physician-assisted suicide provides an addition choice among other options,such as hospice care (Smith, 1998, p. 498). On the other hand, it is the duty of the physicians to provide thepatients with accurate information about the status of their, including thedetermination of whether they are terminally ill. By relying upon machines for theirsurvival, the power of the dying patients has been wrested away from them(Kass and Lund, 1996, p. Commentary, 1 2(6), 17-28.McCord, W. In this act, the rights and the roles of the patients and thephysicians are spelled out clearly. 28). Give me liberty and death: Assisted suicide in Oregon. Therefore, these courageous peoplewho want to leave the world, while their minds are still functioning,should have the right to seek help from their physicians. The Christian Century, 116(14), 498-499.Hall, R. The Economist, 343(8 22), 21-25. 14). However, this actof beneficence also acknowledges the patients' autonomy to decide thetiming of their death (Hall, 1994, p. 19). In America, approximately 75% of all dying Americans die in nursinghomes and hospitals unconsciously, with tubes sticking out of their body("Last rights," 1997, p. At anytime, they are allowed to rescind their request to die (Campbell, 1999, p.498). Heated debate over a law for the dying. U.S. 1 ). Physicians are the most well-placed and the most qualified people toensure a safe and comforting death for their patients. Euthanasia's home: what the Dutch experience can teach Americans about assisted suicide. A. This paper contends that physician-assisted suicide should belegalized. Both versions of physician-assisted suicide used in Oregon and theNetherlands demonstrate that it does not take place in a vacuum, but arestrictly limited to specific guidelines (Smith, 1998, p. News & World Report, 122(1), 24-28.Shapiro, J. Furthermore, with the guidance oftheir physicians, the patients will be making an informed decision, ratherthan acting out of impulse or mental instability. Suicide in the West. In a country that celebrates individualliberty, denying dying patients the right to a safe and comforting deathviolates the fundamental human right to exercise personal choice. With the assistance of a physician, these people can gaincontrol over the timing of their death and leave the world in a dignifiedfashion. 28). The ultimate decision to die belongs to the patients. Therefore, it is hypocritical for society to acceptone form of physician-assisted suicide and not the other. By 1991, 28 states had ruled thatpatients can refuse life-sustaining treatment. Active euthanasia in the Netherlands. 4). M. They should both be considered forms of physician-assisted suicide(Hall, 1994, p. Terminally-ill patients have a right to die a dignifieddeath, instead of living a meaningless and degraded existence. (1994, November-December). Currently, these situations are occurring covertly, with orwithout legalization. National Right to Life News, 25(7), 4.Shapiro, J. The patients' mental status has to be inspected to rule out thepossibility that their decision stems from depression. T. 26). JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 262(23), 3316-332 .(1997, June 21). P. Physician-assisted suicide is not an option to be used wantonly.Patients who suffer from severely deteriorating diseases with no likelyprospect of recovery should have the right to get help from theirphysicians to terminate their lives by choice. 4). 21). In addition, the physician should perform an objectivemedical inspection of the patient's desire to die, ruling out thepossibility that the patient is afflicted by a sense of anxiety or mentalinstability. Finally, the processis recorded and reported to the state health division. Neither the physician nor the patient alone can make the decision.For the physicians, the principles of medical ethics allow them to practicean act of beneficence in the interests of their patients. (1996, December). Physicians who actin accordance with the law will not face prosecution. P. 498). 25). Psychologically,they can play the role of comforting the patient without being emotionallydrawn into the experience compared to the patients' relatives (Kass & Lund,1996, p. In addition, physician-assisted suicide enables the dying patients tosave their families and friends from enduring the pain and anguish ofwatching their deterioration, along with economic depletion (McCord, 1993,p. News & World Report, 117(24), 36-38.Wachter, M. (1999, May 5). (1997, January 13). in Wachter, 1989, p. By examining the details of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act (DDA),it can be demonstrated clearly that legalizing physician-assisted suicidewill address the increasing demand of dying patients in a safe andregulated atmosphere. In conclusion, legalizing physician-assisted suicide and bringing itout into the open will reduce abuses that occur in covert practices thatare going on now. Death with dignity. Physician-assisted suicide should be endorsed because it creates theappropriate environment for terminally-ill patients to make their ownchoice. More importantly, the physician should rule out the issuesthat the patient is not being adequately cared for by the existing system,thus compelling him to make the decision to die. It is necessary to note that the patient is the sole person who caninitiate the process by actively requesting for his death. Physicians can thus grantthe wishes of their patients without fearing professional and legalrepercussions for their actions. 3318). For many dying patients, physician-assisted suicide provides themwith personal choice. There is little differencein the end-result between a physician pulling the plug on a machine(passive) or injecting a lethal dose into a patient's arm (active)(McCord,1993, p. Unlike thecritics' image of rampant "murders" of unwanted and dying patients eitherby the physicians or family members, the legalization of physician-assistedsuicide will occur within a set of strict and clearly formulated rules andguidelines. By enforcing their final wishes, they retain a shred of dignity byconsciously and courageously embracing the moment of death (McCord, 1993,p. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.