Physician Assisted Suicide
DAVID, AGUILO
CAS 100
APRIL 7
ABOUT
For years, doctors have been prohibited from assisting
patients in their efforts to relieve suffering via suicide.
Dr. Jack Kevorkian was sentenced to over 60 years in
prison for his efforts, despite the gratitude of the
patients and their families.
Recent laws in Oregon and the U.K. have started
legalizing the practice, as well as the pre-existing
legalization in the Netherlands.
What is Physician Assisted Suicide?
Physician Assisted Suicide is simply medically
educed suicide by the request of a patient by a
doctor.
A physician will prescribe the patient a
lethal dose of a drug and have the patient
take it them self if they so choose
If the patient can not take it themselves the
doctor will administer the drug for them
When and How
The patient has been determined as incurably ill from a medical standpoint
The patient's physical or spiritual suffering is unbearable or serious to the
patient
The patient has indicated in writing that he or she desires to terminate life
or that he or she wants to be delivered from his suffering.
The patient's request must be determined to be voluntary, well-considered,
and lasting
A second physician must be consulted
An intervention must take place for the patient, its must be in a medically
approved manner
Then the lethal drug is administered proceeding the wishes if the patient.
E.g. after the family of the patient has said their good byes.
Arguments Against
Simply that it is wrong, morally and legally.
Many people suggest that the prolonged suffering of
your and mine loved ones is not only acceptable but
legally and moral correct.
That aiding someone into the final stages of their life
through a painless cure of their suffering is
unacceptable from their social vantage.
euthanasia.procon.org
The right of a competent, terminally ill person to avoid
excruciating pain and embrace a timely and dignified death is
legal as is the decisions to the refusal of life-saving treatment.
The right to refuse life saving treatment is a protected
liberty in choosing to end t his or her own life.
Terminally ill patients who are suffering and wish to end
their unendurable pain interferes with protected liberty
given to us as a member of the United States and our
natural rights as human beings.
ACLU Amicus Brief in Vacco v. Quill
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Dec. 10, 1996
"Americans should enjoy a right guaranteed in the
European Declaration of Human Rights -- the right
not to be forced to suffer. It should be considered as
much of a crime to make someone live who does not
wish to continue as it is to take life without consent."
Faye Girsh, EdD
Senior Adviser, Final Exit Network,
"How Shall We Die," Free Inquiry
Winter 2001
Arguments Against
It is against the Hippocratic oath to take a life
The Hippocratic oath says to “do no harm” to patients
or anyone else
euthanasia.procon.org
To "do no harm".
Does this mean that we should prolong a life that the patient
sees as a painful burden?
Surely, the 'harm' in this instance is done when we prolong
the life, and 'doing no harm' means that we should help the
patient die.
Philip Nitschke, MD
Director and Founder, Exit International
"Euthanasia Sets Sail," National Review Online
June 5, 2001
Arguments Against
That a ‘slippery slope’ of morality from doctors will begin a
trend of doctors suggesting suicide as a form of care giving
rather than a last resort
euthanasia.procon.org
Assisting death in no way precludes giving the best care
possible but makes death with dignity a real option...
The evidence for the emotional impact of assisted dying on
physicians shows that assisted suicide is far from being an
'easier options for the caregiver'
Every appropriate option available must be discussed with the
patient and, tried before a request for assisted death can be
accepted…
PAS is incorporated within end-of-life care and the option of
assisted death is not presented rather always a request of a
patient
Gerrit Kimsma, MD, MPh
Associate Professor in Medical Philosophy
Evert van Leeuwen, PhD
Professor in Philosophy and Medical Ethics
Center for Ethics and Philosophy at Free University in Amsterdam (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
"Assisted Death in the Netherlands: Physician at the Bedside When Help Is Requested"
Physician-Assisted Dying: The Case for Palliative Care & Patient Choice
2004
1. The patient must have an incurable condition causing severe, unrelenting suffering.
2. The patient must understand his or her condition and prognosis, which must be
verified by an independent second opinion.
3. All reasonable palliative measures must have been presented to and considered by
the patient or previously exhausted.
4. The patient must clearly and repeatedly request assistance in dying.
5. A psychiatric consultation must be held to establish if the patient is suffering from a
treatable depression and is aware of their choice
6. The prescribing physician must understand the reasons for her or his request. No
physician should be expected to violate his or her own basic values.
7. A physician who is unwilling to assist the patient should facilitate transfer to another
physician who would be prepared to do so.
8. All of the foregoing must be clearly documented.
CONCLUSION
HOW WOULD YOU FEEL WATHING A LOVED
ONE IN RELENTLESS INTOLERABLE PAIN WITH
NO HOPE FOR A TOMORROW THAT IS
ANYTHING BUT WORSE AND THAT THEIR
ONLY PROGNOSIS IS INEVIDABLE, PAINFUL
DEATH?
QUESTIONS?
REFERENCES
Messerli, Joe. "BalancedPolitics.org - Physician Assisted Suicide (Pros & Cons,
Arguments For and Against)." BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, Non-Partisan
Discussion of Political & Social Issues for Debate (Pros and Cons - Decision Making
Politics). 03 Apr. 2007. Web. 03 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.htm>.
Rogatz, M.D., Peter. "BalancedPolitics.org - Physician Assisted Suicide (Pros &
Cons, Arguments For and Against)." BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, NonPartisan Discussion of Political & Social Issues for Debate (Pros and Cons - Decision
Making Politics). 2002. Web. 01 Apr. 2011.
<http://www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.htm>.
"Top 10 Pros and Cons - Euthanasia - ProCon.org." Euthanasia ProCon.org -Should Euthanasia Be Legal? 28 May 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2011.
<http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000126>.
Kastenbaum, Robert. "Suicide Types - World, Body, Life, Customs, History,
Beliefs, Cause, Rate, Time, Person, Human, Indirect Suicide, Murder-suicide,
Physician-assisted Suicide, Rational Suicide." Encyclopedia of Death and Dying.
2011. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. <http://www.deathreference.com/Sh-Sy/SuicideTypes.html>.
DONE!