Physicians Acceptance Of Assisted Suicide example essay topic

Assisted Assisted Suicide ASSISTED SUICIDE Assisted suicide has been around for a very long time. ever since man could be impaired physically or mentally. People with life treating illnesses have had to deal with law after law. Bills, laws, and proposals take a long time to put together and enforce. The political standpoint is a little on the week side.

Being such a sensitive subject, politicians have to choose whether they are for it or against it. Medical insight is just as elusive as the governments stand on the situation. With the pro and con groups split at about 5050. Assisted suicide is also called the right to die movement. The courts ruled that the constitution did not guarantee an individual's "right to die.

' According to some patients, and patient's family, and the doctor. Assisted suicide is simply a goal to help end some peoples suffering. If a patient feels he / she is deteriorated to the point of misery or meaninglessness. The government entity or medical facility should not force that person to go on living. Some examples of people suffering: Barbara Os kamp, a retired Oregon teacher, with an inoperable brain tumor. She believes that she should not have to suffer a death that is prolonged, painful, and undignified ("issues and controversies').

James Poe is a retired sale representative who suffers from emphysema and heart failure. Mr. Poe is in the terminal phase of his illness and wants to stop his suffering by taking prescribed drugs. Jane Roe is a retired pediatrician who has suffered since 1988 from cancer, which has metastasized throughout her entire skeleton. Bedridden since June of 1993, Miss Roe expresses constants sharp and very sever pain when she moves. She also would like to die by taking prescribed drugs. How could someone tell this poor suffering human being that she must live her painful life on earth.

There are thousands of people just like these suffering from terminal illnesses, who desire to end their lives. Families in favor of the right to assisted suicide believe that a dying relative should have the right to decide how and when to end higher suffering ("die with dignity'). Physicians that support the right to die movement, feel strongly that people with terminal illness should have the right to end their lives. Some doctors agreed that legalized assisted suicide would be ethically acceptable.

A study found that more than 85% of doctors believed that prescribing a lethal dose of pain killing drug is moral. A poll that was taken in 1995 of nurses and physicians concluded that: 73% of respondents said that they would answer questions about lethal doses of medicine. Only 14% said they would administer lethal doses at a patient request. 15% reported having assisted in a patients suicide. 55% said the fear of legal liability would stop them from assisting at a suicide.

The American Medical Association (AMA) stated that physicians acceptance of assisted suicide is increasing over time. Physician assisted suicide is starting a political and moral debate of unprecedented intensity in American society. While the issue has long been the issue of the courts. This sensitive subject is everywhere, congress, hospitals schools, even over the dinner table. In congress, opponents have a bill that, in effect, do away with Oregon's first in the nation law allowing physician assisted suicide. The justice department is at odds with US drug enforcement agency over whether bans on "controlled substances's would include potentially lethal barbiturates and morphine, used to relive patient suffering.

The House bill, the "Pain relief promotion act' does not specifically mention Oregon's "death with dignity' law, which was approved by voters twice. Once in 1994 and again in 1997, when law makers tried to overturn it. The act bans the use of federally regulated drugs for assisted suicide or euthanasia. At the same time, the bill encourages doctors to use opiates and other drugs to treat patients's suffering, even if the use of the use of such substances may increase the risk of death. Two years ago, the US Supreme Court found no constitutional "right to die. ' Yet the ruling was not definitive on doctor assisted suicide.

That debate continues in at least four states where laws similar to Oregon's are being considered. In Alaska the superior courts ruled that "Alaskan's do not have an undeniable right to assisted suicide. ' The White House has not said whether the president would sign the house bill. Mr. Clinton has expressed personal opposition. Last year he stated, "To endorse assisted suicide would set us on a disturbing and perhaps dangers path. ' Roman Catholicism has long opposed suicide.

Although in my research I found that scripture neither condones nor condemns suicide explicitly. Church traditions, from its earliest days, clearly distinguished martyrdom from suicide. The churches theology allows us to see the differences between the two. With their conclusion being assisted suicide is wrong for both patient and physician. Some people who are against assisted suicide, bring up the Hippocratic oath that sates: "I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such counsel. ' Some argue that the oath is two and a half millennia old and has clearly withstood the test of time. maybe something this old is a little outdated.

In the time of super computers and illnesses that can be very disturbing, people should maybe change a little for newer times. In my conclusion, I do not want to seem close minded about the situation. It is my opinion that in some cases it is the persons right to choose their exit. I am not advocating that anyone should be able to kill themselves because of non-medical reasons. I would leave the choice to the ones who have decease like Jane Roe the pediatrician who has been in so much pain, that no medication ca subdue. The government will have to make up its mind and make some laws.

Government officials should prioritize this problem on assisted suicide. It will be up in debate again when another Jack Kovoirkian stirs up the issue.