Physician Assisted Suicide Example Essay Example

If the patient suffering from terminal disease wants a relief from the excruciating pain, it is likely that suicide will be considered.

In such circumstances, when the patient has made the decision, it is only the physician who has the exhaustive details on the nature of the disease, the likely remaining life span of the patient, the condition in which the patient will live so it will benefit the patient if the physician can be consulted on how to terminate life. When the patient is determined to end his life, the possible option is to seek the assistance of a physician to determine the right time and right mean to do so because they have knowledge about the medicines to be used.

According to the opinion of patients (Follette, 2002) many patients prefer PAS because it allows them to die in a dignified and peaceful manner. It is a safer and more peaceful manner than unassisted suicide. It is likely that if physicians refuse to help patients who have otherwise made the decision, the deaths may occur in an inhumane manner. For instance, in many cases patients take an inappropriate amount of the drug due to which the death process becomes extremely slow and painful making the patient’s condition worse.

Personal Autonomy

Individual have the right to decide when and how they want to die. Individuals are autonomous meaning they have the right to choose the course of their life including how it will end. Physician assisted suicide enables the individuals to use their right and empowers them to decide the course of their life and death. Patients who are terminally ill often lose the

will to live so forcing such people to live and consequently suffer is an infringement of the personal liberty every human being is born with.

Most patients want to be able to decide when and how they will die just like the controls of a remote control where pressing one button can change the course of their life (Medicine Net, 2004)

Alleviates Suffering Physician

Assisted Suicide is the most humane way to end the suffering of patients suffering from terminal diseases like HIV, Cancer or other neurological disease. These patients know that that they will not live for long and they suffer from excruciating pain.

Many of these patients lose control over their physical actions and may become dependent on others for basic body functions. Under such circumstances, many people want to hasten their death because they feel that their lives are useless and nothing better than living hell. Many people like to end the agony and pain and would like to be given a choice to live or die. The common argument against PAS is that no one has the right to play God and only God decides the timing of death.

However, there is no question of playing God in this case, the point is to give an option to end excruciating pain to those who are sick and suffering and have no have absolutely no hope of improvement. According to CDC (1998) a study conducted in Oregon shows that many patients opt for getting prescription for lethal drugs because they are scared of being dependant upon others and losing control of bodily functions and there was very little concern about the excruciating pain and financial costs of

prolonged treatment.

The research, conducted by the EIS and Oregon Health Division, also shows that there is no link between less education or low health insurance and seeking PAS. This shows that the PAS only serves the humane purpose of alleviating suffering and there are no chances of exploitation of less educated or less financially sound because research has proved that the only motivation of people while seeking PAS is to avoid dependence upon others and patients are concerned about losing control over their action and thoughts, loss of dignity that comes from being dependent upon others.