Physician Assisted Suicide should be legalized

Physician Assisted Suicide should be legalized

Introduction

Physician-assisted suicide, also known as PAS, is a practice where a Physician or Doctor provides a patient with medication that the patient requested to end their own life. Most people tend confuse Physician-assisted suicide with Euthanasia which is the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependant person for their unproven benefit. The difference that people tend to overlook is that Euthanasia is an intentional act of killing that is forced upon a person and PAS is not. It usually is a normal reaction when people hear about PAS that they automatically think about suicide, but it should not be pushed into the same category. It is the patient's choice to make this decision and not the doctors. The decision to use Physician-assisted suicide in dying allows us to act on death as a choice for those suffering with terminal illnesses.

Physician-Assisted Suicide is a much debatable topic. Many feel that it is an immoral act while others feel that it is the right thing to do. This practice is currently illegal in the UK; however, it is legal in some parts of the world, notably The Netherlands and Oregon in the USA. In some cases, the patients are faced with pain so severe that they prefer to take their lives to escape the pain. Some commit suicide on their own while others seek guidance of a physician. Physician-assisted suicide should be legal in all states because the right to a timely death is a basic human freedom.

Discussion

Arguments in Favor of Physician Assisted Suicide

Whenever a patient is admitted to the hospital various entities, involve in his treatment. These entities include physicians, nurses, therapeutic staff etc. If, physician assisted suicide becomes legal a physician would be able to consult with the other staff. He would be able to reach a better decision regarding a patient should commit or should not commit suicide. Moreover, by interacting with the staff a physician may come to know anyone who is more close to the patient and who can persuade him to not to choose death if proper cure is available. On the other hand if this activity is illegal staff and physician would not prefer or, they would hesitate to communicate about this issue (Weir, 1997).

Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is the practice in which some prescription of drugs is given to the patient which will knowingly result in their death. Difference in opinion exists on this regard among different physicians, public and patient who wants to commit suicide. An increase in physician assisted suicide of terminally ill patients has been observed. The urge for reconsideration of policies of physician practice is also increasing. It is felt that the patient has the right to end his life if he is in serious condition and the pain is becoming too much for him. Following are some of the argument which support the physician assisted suicide.

The legal system of New York State's ban on the patient's right to ...