Physician Assisted Suicide

Abstract:

Physician assisted suicide is an extremely controversial topic in our modern society worldwide. Many advocates of physician-assisted suicide argue that human compassion permit a severely or terminally ill person the chance to choose death as a way to relieve their suffering. It has also been mentioned that it should be granted to so that a person with an advancing and deteriorating illness is allowed to end their life before the final stages of the disease and preserve their pride. Some opponents believe it is not a simple matter of personal liberty and must not be allowed. Physician assisted suicide would rescue a dying person’s friends and family from watching the agony of their loved one. Other reasons to allow physician assisted suicide consist of a reduction in health care costs and safeguarding of a dying patient’s assets. On the other hand, countless arguments can also be declared against physician assisted suicide, the first and most significant one being that it demeans the value of human life. Opponents of physician assisted suicide believe that it is totally cruel to kill, while physician societies insist that if even they disregard the Medical Oath, they act completely in the sole purpose to stop the suffering. Physician assisted suicide regulations could also be misunderstood as a way to permit non-terminally ill patients to end their lives. Adversaries of physician-assisted suicide strongly view that alternative methods of managing extreme pain and appropriate palliative care offered by families and hospices can be the best solution instead of relying on assisting suicide. Both advocates and adversaries of assisted suicide open an extensive debate supporting their opinions through a long list of pros and cons arguments.

The Attractive Death

Physician assisted suicide is basically known as the practice where a physician offers a patient a deadly dose of medication, upon the patient’s demand in order to end his life. Physician assisted suicide differs from Euthanasia by the fact that Euthanasia takes place when a doctor kills an individual based on his family’s request, as the dying patients may or may not be aware of what is happening to them and may or may not have requested to die. However, in physician assisted suicide the patient is in absolute control of the procedure that leads to his death because he/she is the person who specifically demands this ending. The physician simply delivers the patients request by carrying out the action for him, since doctors are the most familiar with patient’s medical conditions. They also have the knowledge and access to the necessary ways to cause the death. Physician assisted suicide is intolerable in the situation where individuals who can still be treated aim to end their own lives. Defenders of physician suicide believe that each human being has absolute freedom