What Is A Physician-Assisted Suicide?

So what exactly is considered a Physician-Assisted suicide? Physician-Assisted suicide, is a suicide where the physician provides the necessary means of information and the patient performs the act, and euthanasia is defined as “ the act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reasons of mercy, or simply described as a “ mercy killing”. (Back et al) The debate about the legalization of the law and of the steps to intentionally take one 's life to end suffering remains a controversial topic. However, I do believe there are several basic conclusions that can be argued both for and against PAS and euthanasia, that could outweigh the continuously controversial banning of the practices. The legal and ethical debate was first brought to the limelight back in October 27, 1997 when physician-assisted suicide became a legal option for the terminally ill Oregonians. The Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain information and the use of prescriptions for self-administered, lethal medications but, specifically prohibits euthanasia. (Oregon Death with Dignity Act, Oregon Revised Statute 127.800-127.897.) Since the law took effect in Oregon, 1,327 people through 2014 received prescriptions and 859 died after ingesting life-ending drugs, according to the Oregon Public Health Division. Of those, 589 were at least 65 years old and 668 had cancer. Most, 810, died at home. In regards to legalization, the rules of eligibility must be in place first and the act of PAS should not be taken lightly. Each person will present with their own unique set of needs and reasons why they feel the need to hasten to death such as physical suffering, loss of control, indignity and being a burden to others. In a study by (van der Wal et al), patients who were depressed were 4 to 5 times more likely to have made serious inquiries about PAS or euthanasia and that physical pain was a less frequent motivator and let’s face it, if someone …show more content…
However, legalizing PAS should be an option, with regards to the criteria you must meet beforehand, such as you must be 18 years or older, capable and able to make healthcare decisions, and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death in within six months. (Oregon Death with Dignity Act, Oregon Revised Statute 127.800-127.897) it would provide terminally-ill patients with the option to have a peaceful death and take control of their own lives when nevertheless everything else is limited. According to the Journal of Palliative Medicine, patients are motivated to peruse assisted suicide to avoid negative qualities of death where they can no longer control and manage their symptoms and needs. A quote by Ayn Rand states “The Right to the Pursuit of Happiness means man’s right to live for himself, to choose what constitutes his own private, personal, individual happiness and to work for its achievement, so long as he respects the same right in others. It means that Man cannot be forced to devote his life to the happiness of another man nor of any number of other men. It means that the collective cannot decide what is to be the purpose of a man’s existence nor prescribe his choice of happiness.” As a result we must realize that it is person’s right to determine their own course of life, so why not in death as well? Why that even in death, we still have to continue to please others and entertain what is ethically suitable to their tastes and not our