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  • Writer: Elizabeth Molina
    Elizabeth Molina
  • Nov 19, 2019
  • 3 min read

Outline: Murder or Mercy?

Keyword: Physician-Assisted Suicide

Author: Elizabeth Molina

Due Date: November 20, 2019

Publish Date: November 20, 2019


The Run Down of Physician-Assisted Suicide

Introduction

Death isn’t something many people tend to think about unless it’s staring at you in the face, whether this be due to a developing illness, an injury, or an inherited disease. The truth is, it’s an unavoidable ending. This blog gives the reader some information about physician-assisted suicide, a method of death that allows a patient to end their own life on their terms.


What is Physician-Assisted Suicide (and Why Does it Matter)?

Physician-assisted suicide, or PAS for short, is when a physician prescribes a terminally ill patient medication that will end their life. This is an up-and-coming method of euthanasia, and it’s very controversial for legal, religious, and ethical reasons. In a sense, it gives the patients a way to die without fully succumbing to the cause. For some, it just offers peace of mind in case the discomfort from the cause becomes too much.



The History of Physician-Assisted Suicide

This method of death isn’t hardly new – Jack Kevorkian, nicknamed “Dr. Death,” was a physician who would perform this practice on patients through the 50s into the 70s until his incarceration. Kevorkian would usually perform these in a van, and it involved medications being injected into the patient. Things are much different now, considering patients can now be surrounded by their loved ones and they ingest a simple dose of medication.



Terms to Know

Physician-Assisted Suicide: the voluntary termination of one's own life by taking lethal medication with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician

Code of Medical Ethics: the ethical rules of behavior of physicians and dental practitioners, defining the priorities of their professional work, showing the principles in the relations with patients, other physicians and the rest of community.

Hospice: a home providing care for the sick or terminally ill

Autonomy: the right or condition of self-government



The Pros and Cons of Physician-Assisted Suicide

This controversial notion has pros and cons, but these pros and cons are subjective. For example, a possible pro for someone could be the fact that a person has the ability to choose this for themselves, but that could be a con for someone who puts legal and ethical rights before a person’s ability to make their own decisions.

Possible objective pros include: painless death, independence, filling of prescription not necessary

Possible objective cons include: specific guidelines to be met, must be a resident of the states that legalize it (not simply visiting)



How to Apply for Physician-Assisted Suicide

First and foremost, a patient must be over 18, living in a state where physician-assisted suicide is legal, and the patient must have a fatal prognosis if they discontinue treatment for 6 months for their injury or illness.

1. Communication with a physician. This is the first oral request, and it’s added to medical records.

2. Psyche and physical evaluations.

3. Another oral request following a waiting period of varying days (state regulations differ).

4. A written request following another waiting period after the second oral request.

5. A prescription from the physician may or may not be written for the patient, and the patient can fill this at any time or not at all.



Tips and Reminders for Physician-Assisted Suicide

This is a tough decision for some. Respect for the decision is very important. Ultimately, the patients do not have to fill this prescription. It can lay dormant on the dresser until the patient dies a natural death. Many people like to have the option there just in case. It’s a comfort; it doesn’t always mean someone is absolutely opting for suicide.

Also, this process does not mean someone is suicidal. In fact, physicians screen for depression and suicidal tendencies when evaluating a patient to make sure they receive treatment for this before applying again. A person may simply want to die on their own terms.



Resources for Physician-Assisted Suicide

There are many places to gather information regarding this topic. Here’s a list of some websites with further facts:


Closing

Physician-assisted suicide is on the rise due to more progressive generations coming into play, and older baby boomers beginning to look into ending plans. 9 states have already legalized the practice, and there’s talk of more analyzing the subjective pros and cons.


Call-to-Action

Whether this is something you support or do not believe in, there are groups for both. Determine which side you’re on, and look into assemblies that align with your views. This will soon become a staple in the news, and it’s up to people to determine if this is something they view as rightful or not.

 
 
 

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