Physician-Assisted Suicide Right or Wrong - 1053 Words

Running Head: RIGHT OR WRONG? Physician-Assisted Suicide Physician-assisted suicide occurs when a physician helps in the requested death of a voluntary patient (Smith, 2012). In most cases, the patient is terminally ill. A recent study revealed that pain or unbearable pain is not a major motivating factor for the request (Foley et al, 2001). Rather, the motivating factors are the effects of illness, the patients sense of self, and fears about the future. Methods used in conducting physician-assisted suicide or PAS include administering overly high dose of narcotics, a sedative or an antidepressant or subjecting the patient to the suicide machine connected to an IV tube. This machine, invented by Dr. Jack Kevorkian, consisted of a saline solution, a sedative and potassium chloride (Foley et al). In 1997, the US Supreme Court determined that physician-assisted suicide was not a constitutional right. However, States were not banned from passing laws allowing it (Smith, 2012). The practice is illegal in 34 States. Four States neither ban nor p rohibit it and it is permitted in Oregon and Washington but only within specific and limited circumstances (Smith; Walker, 2001). Both majority opinion and conscience agree that PAS is inherently wrong. Deontology and PAS Deontology is about duties, the duty to do what is right and not to do what is wrong (Lacewing, 2005). Its principle is that certain acts are our duties. It observes those duties by recognizing other peoplesShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia And Physician Assisted Suicide - Good, Bad, Right, Or Wrong?1860 Words   |  8 Pages Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide – Good, Bad, Right, or Wrong? November 17, 2014 Jennifer Mullen South University Online Euthanasia is a term derived from a Greek word meaning happy or fortunate in death. It is most commonly used now to denote the merciful infliction of death [either actively or passively] to avoid torment in fatal and incurable disease, usually by consent of the patient or his family. Tribal Customs: There are accounts of tribes, ancient and moreRead MoreThe Rights Of Physician Assisted Suicide1347 Words   |  6 PagesThe Right to Die By: Antony Makhlouf Antony Makhlouf PHR 102-006 Contemporary Moral Issues Final Paper The Right to Die Physician-assisted suicide, also known as euthanasia, has been a hot topic as of late. If you do not know what this is, physician-assisted suicide is the taking of ones life. This usually occurs when a patient is in a irreversible state, and must live through a tube. 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Typically, the patient is prescribedRead MoreThe Ethical Issues Of Physician Assisted Suicide Essay1736 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribed as the intentional discontinuation, by the patient s physician, of vital treatment that could prolong the person s life. Assisted suicide occurs when a health care worker provides a patient with tools and/or medication that will help the patient kill him or herself, without the direct intervention of the care provider. This paper will define key terms for my argument against Physician Assisted Death, and why I believe it’s wrong, where I will provide a brief background of the situation. NextRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Legalized943 Words   |  4 Pagescommit suicide, but his mom resuscitated him both times. Therefore, Danny decided to starve himself to end his suffering once and for all (Grimminck). Pe ople such as Danny, cancer, and ALS patients, who are battling terminal illnesses, deserve the right to choose when enough is enough. 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