Why Not Have Physician Assisted Suicide essays

Why Not Have Physician Assisted Suicide essays Why Not Have Physician Assisted Suicide? During the course of the past 20 years, many people are starting to here more and more situations about people participating in physician-assisted suicide. The fact of the matter is that people are starting to believe that they have the right to control their own life and death decisions. After you begin to think about physician-assisted suicide, and bring in all the facts, it becomes clear that it should be allowed in our society if it is used properly. Many people question the pure definition of physician-assisted suicide. According to the University of Washington School of Medicine, "physician-assisted suicide refers to the physician providing the means for death, most often with a prescription, in which the patient administers the medication" (Ethics in Medicine). As of 1997 the State of Oregon was the only state that utilize legalized physician-assisted suicide. Some people argue whether this practice is ethical to use today in our society. One strong reason why this should be done is because it is a good choice for people who are suffering unbearably. At times many physicians believe that it is their duty to relieve these people of their problems. One of the most famous arguments in favor of physician -assisted suicide is the story by Timothy Quill, and his patient "Diane". Diane was a woman who was diagnosed with leukemia; from the beginning she refused the aggressive treatment. "She then requested a prescription of barbiturates that could be used to end her life if she determined that her suffering had become unbearable" (Annals of Internal Medicine). Diane was enrolled in a hospice program, many months passed but she began to feel a lot of pain, and fatigue. She used the barbiturates that her doctor gave her and ended her life. This was a very good case in favor of the practice because this woman was in serious pain, and the best solution was to end her life. ...