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Explore the ethical and legal facets of physician-assisted suicide, from historical context to contemporary arguments for and against this controversial practice, delving into laws, patient rights, and ethical considerations.
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Physician Assisted Suicide DAVID, AGUILO CAS 100 APRIL 7
ABOUT • For years, doctors have been prohibited from assisting patients in their efforts to relieve suffering via suicide. • Dr. Jack Kevorkian was sentenced to over 60 years in prison for his efforts, despite the gratitude of the patients and their families. • Recent laws in Oregon and the U.K. have started legalizing the practice, as well as the pre-existing legalization in the Netherlands.
What is Physician Assisted Suicide? • Physician Assisted Suicide is simply medically educed suicide by the request of a patient by a doctor. • A physician will prescribe the patient a lethal dose of a drug and have the patient take it them self if they so choose • If the patient can not take it themselves the doctor will administer the drug for them
When and How • The patient has been determined as incurably ill from a medical standpoint • The patient's physical or spiritual suffering is unbearable or serious to the patient • The patient has indicated in writing that he or she desires to terminate life or that he or she wants to be delivered from his suffering. • The patient's request must be determined to be voluntary, well-considered, and lasting • A second physician must be consulted • An intervention must take place for the patient, its must be in a medically approved manner • Then the lethal drug is administered proceeding the wishes if the patient. E.g. after the family of the patient has said their good byes.
Arguments Against • Simply that it is wrong, morally and legally. • Many people suggest that the prolonged suffering of your and mine loved ones is not only acceptable but legally and moral correct. • That aiding someone into the final stages of their life through a painless cure of their suffering is unacceptable from their social vantage. euthanasia.procon.org
The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death is legal as is the decisions to the refusal of life-saving treatment. • The right to refuse life saving treatment is a protected liberty in choosing to end t his or her own life. • Terminally ill patients who are suffering and wish to end their unendurable pain interferes with protected liberty given to us as a member of the United States and our natural rights as human beings. ACLU Amicus Brief in Vacco v. QuillAmerican Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)Dec. 10, 1996
"Americans should enjoy a right guaranteed in the European Declaration of Human Rights -- the right not to be forced to suffer. It should be considered as much of a crime to make someone live who does not wish to continue as it is to take life without consent." Faye Girsh, EdDSenior Adviser, Final Exit Network,"How Shall We Die," Free InquiryWinter 2001
Arguments Against • It is against the Hippocratic oath to take a life • The Hippocratic oath says to “do no harm” to patients or anyone else euthanasia.procon.org
To "do no harm". • Does this mean that we should prolong a life that the patient sees as a painful burden? • Surely, the 'harm' in this instance is done when we prolong the life, and 'doing no harm' means that we should help the patient die. Philip Nitschke, MDDirector and Founder, Exit International"Euthanasia Sets Sail," National Review OnlineJune 5, 2001
Arguments Against • That a ‘slippery slope’ of morality from doctors will begin a trend of doctors suggesting suicide as a form of care giving rather than a last resort euthanasia.procon.org
Assisting death in no way precludes giving the best care possible but makes death with dignity a real option... • The evidence for the emotional impact of assisted dying on physicians shows that assisted suicide is far from being an 'easier options for the caregiver' • Every appropriate option available must be discussed with the patient and, tried before a request for assisted death can be accepted… • PAS is incorporated within end-of-life care and the option of assisted death is not presented rather always a request of a patient Gerrit Kimsma, MD, MPhAssociate Professor in Medical PhilosophyEvert van Leeuwen, PhDProfessor in Philosophy and Medical EthicsCenter for Ethics and Philosophy at Free University in Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands)"Assisted Death in the Netherlands: Physician at the Bedside When Help Is Requested"Physician-Assisted Dying: The Case for Palliative Care & Patient Choice2004
1. The patient must have an incurable condition causing severe, unrelenting suffering. 2. The patient must understand his or her condition and prognosis, which must be verified by an independent second opinion. 3. All reasonable palliative measures must have been presented to and considered by the patient or previously exhausted. 4. The patient must clearly and repeatedly request assistance in dying. 5. A psychiatric consultation must be held to establish if the patient is suffering from a treatable depression and is aware of their choice 6. The prescribing physicianmust understand the reasons for her or his request. No physician should be expected to violate his or her own basic values. 7. A physician who is unwilling to assist the patient should facilitate transfer to another physician who would be prepared to do so. 8. All of the foregoing must be clearly documented.
CONCLUSION • HOW WOULD YOU FEEL WATHING A LOVED ONE IN RELENTLESS INTOLERABLE PAIN WITH NO HOPE FOR A TOMORROW THAT IS ANYTHING BUT WORSE AND THAT THEIR ONLY PROGNOSIS IS INEVIDABLE, PAINFUL DEATH?
REFERENCES • Messerli, Joe. "BalancedPolitics.org - Physician Assisted Suicide (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against)." BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, Non-Partisan Discussion of Political & Social Issues for Debate (Pros and Cons - Decision Making Politics). 03 Apr. 2007. Web. 03 Apr. 2011. <http://www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.htm>. • Rogatz, M.D., Peter. "BalancedPolitics.org - Physician Assisted Suicide (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against)." BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, Non-Partisan Discussion of Political & Social Issues for Debate (Pros and Cons - Decision Making Politics). 2002. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. <http://www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.htm>. • "Top 10 Pros and Cons - Euthanasia - ProCon.org." Euthanasia ProCon.org -- Should Euthanasia Be Legal? 28 May 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2011. <http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000126>. • Kastenbaum, Robert. "Suicide Types - World, Body, Life, Customs, History, Beliefs, Cause, Rate, Time, Person, Human, Indirect Suicide, Murder-suicide, Physician-assisted Suicide, Rational Suicide." Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. 2011. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. <http://www.deathreference.com/Sh-Sy/Suicide-Types.html>.
