Analysis of the Physician Assistant Suicide Debate Essay -- Euthanasia

Medical science, beginning in the last half of the twentieth century, began to achieve the remarkable ability to prolong life. In most cases, this is beneficial; however, in regards to prolonging the dying process, sometimes indefinitely, this is frequently viewed by patients and their families as cruel, rather than life-giving, and they petition the courts for the right to die. Despite the legitimacy of this position, a variety of forces have repeatedly endeavored to limit the rights of individuals in shaping the dying process for themselves and their loved ones. This is a particularly problematic area for health professionals and the following examination of the issues that this entails demonstrates that the most ethical position for society is to respect the autonomy and decisions of individuals. To die of cancer is frequently a drawn-out process. Terminal patients are frequently in tremendous pain despite the use of opiates. It seems perfectly logical to many people that individuals who wish to forego such torture, when they know that this inevitable, should be allowed to painlessly end their lives rather than suffer a slow, painful death. Yet, there are those who disagree. Stein (2004) reports that before stepping down as the country's Attorney General, John Ashcroft asked the US Supreme Court to overrule the nation's only assisted-suicide law. A previously held lower court ruling held that the federal government did not have the power to punish Oregon doctors who legally prescribed lethal doses of federally approved drugs (Stein, 2004). Oregon's Death With Dignity Act allows patients who have been diagnosed with less than six months to live to request such a lethal dose if their diagnosis has been confirmed by two do... ...out, this objection can be overcome through the institution of strict guidelines, such as were instituted in Oregon in accordance with their physician-assisted euthanasia law. Works Cited Feinberg, B. "The Court Upholds a State Law Prohibiting Physician Assisted Suicide." . Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 88.3 (1998): 847-76. Web. . Harris, J. "Consent and End of Life Decisions." Journal of Medical Ethics 29.1 (2003): 10. Web. . Singer, P. "Freedom and the Right to Die." Free Inquiry 22.2 (2002). Web. . Stein, L. â€Å" Right to Die†. U.S. News & World Report 18.137 (2004, November 22) Print. Sunstein, Cass R. "The Right to Die." Yale Law Review (1997): 1123-163. Web. .