Does Assisted Suicide Help Patients?
Tue, 27. Dec 22 - Wed, 27. Dec 56
When?
Date: Tuesday, 27. December 2022 - Wednesday, 27. December 2056
Time: All day
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Location: United States
Street: Bloomfield Way
Zip and city: Eveleth
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The question of whether an assisted suicide helps patients presents one of the greatest challenges to medical practitioners in the contemporary world. So many patients that had been involved in such cases in agreement with their families believed that assisted suicide was an only option they had to end their pains and sufferings. It is proposed as a means of caring for the dying one while threatening the core integrity of ethics of the medical profession. Some people accept this as the right to die, a rational suicide, a good death, aid in dying, a merciful release, and etc. While some people believe this act to be ethically, morally or religiously wrong. As we go further, we will get to understand that the act of assisting patients to end their lives does not help them; neither does it help their families, nor the society, at large.
What Does Assisted Suicide Mean?
Assisted suicide or Physician-Assisted Suicide usually occurs when a physician provides patients with the medical knowledge or means to commit a suicide. For example, a physician could provide sleeping pills and the information about its potential to end the individual's life while being aware that the patient is considering the suicide as an option. Although it is ethically allowed for physicians to increase an appropriate treatment plan or medication for patients, knowing fully well that it may reduce respiration and, thereafter, cause death ("Physician-assisted suicide," 1993).
However, assisted suicide should be distinguished from euthanasia which is the provision of a palliative treatment that could hasten a patient's death. This form of treatment is aimed at relieving pain and suffering, and not ending the patient's life. However, death could occur as a side effect of this treatment. Assisted suicide also should not be confused with withdrawing or withholding the life-sustaining treatment whereby a patient dies because either the patient of the patient's proxy decides that the advantages of treatment are less than the disadvantages. Therefore, the treatment is stopped. The patient's choice of suicide represents the self-determination and the right to self-determination being the right to either refuse or accept medical interventions, but not to make others take an action in bringing about death ("Physician-assisted suicide," 1993).
Why Is It Comfortable for the Patient and the Family?
Most people support physician-assisted suicide, especially patients and their families based on so many factors. This is usually comfortable for them. Most patients are afraid of suffering excruciating pain and of a prolonged suffering at the end of their life by being forced to continue their existing, while having a meaningless life. It is believed that patients with a substantial caregiving need, severe pain, and depressive symptoms are most likely to consider assisted suicide. The severe pains of patients usually pass through; and the emotion of suffering their families experience usually makes them consider a physician-assisted suicide as the best option in order to end the suffering and prevent a further emotional trauma (Golden & Zoanni, 2010).
In some cases, the financial conditions of patients' families make them consider assisted suicide to be an only alternative. Sometimes because hospital and medication bills are too high for those patients and their families that cannot afford to raise enough money, they tend to call for assisted suicide. This is sometimes due to the fear and depression they are passing through which might lead to further complications. Although some might have the money to continue the treatment and pay hospital bills, but they might feel they are wasting the money on treatment and there is no hope for the survival.
Also, assisted suicide seems to be comfortable for patients and their families because they believe patients deserve their human rights. Thus, due to the pains and agony they are passing through, they tend to exercise their rights by refusing life sustaining medical treatments and interventions because they feel the disadvantages of treatment are far higher than the advantages. Patients usually feel comfortable with their decisions, while being still alive. Their families are also comfortable because it will safe their time and efforts in making sure the patient gets well.
According to reports, the majority of people in Oregon used the assisted suicide law not because of pain, but because they had some disabilities which resulted in the loss of financial consideration and dignity. However, in order for their families to maintain their dignity and gain some level of consideration, they tend to be comfortable considering assisted suicide as an option.
Why Is not It Legal in Some Places in the World?
In addressing the negative impacts of assisted suicide, many countries of the world have rejected its legalization because of its damaging effects on societies. First of all, it is believed that assisted suicide is ethically, religiously and morally wrong. It is against the Hippocratic Oath to intentionally end patients' lives, even if patients or their family members request for it.
Most countries are concerned that the legalization of such an act for those with terminal illnesses could lead to the legalization of the same act for the chronically ill, psychologically distressed, and the disabled people, as well as accepting euthanasia for those with the extremely low quality of life but without any capability to make any decision (Ardelt, 2003).
It is also believed that the disabled and chronically ill person sometimes suffers as much as or even more than those with terminal illnesses, but yet they have to endure their pains for a longer period of time, e.g. HIV/AIDS and neurological diseases (Gill, 2009). However, some countries believe that legalizing the assisted suicide for the particular type of illness without legalizing for other illnesses with similar effects is a form of injustice (Ardelt, 2003).
More so, the emergence of technology and development in the medical world has provided the increasing possibility to save more lives than it has been formerly possible, which makes assisted suicide not legal in some places. Telemedicine has provided the means to cure or reduce the pains and sufferings of people afflicted with diseases. It provides the possibilities of sustaining or prolonging the lives of patients. As a result of these alternatives, assisted suicide is not supported in some places.
Is Assisted Suicide Legal in the United States?
The United States' Supreme Court in 1997 decided that there were no constitutional rights to die. However, justice does not stop states from enacting laws that could provide citizens with the right to die. Some states in the US have legalized this act such as Oregon, Montana and Washington (Lachman, 2010). Oregon legalized assisted suicide in 1997; and the Supreme Court upheld its actions by removing the obstacles to the efforts of the state in authorizing assisted suicide. Also, in November 2008, the residents of Washington voted for the legalization of assisted suicide with 58 percent votes. The act took effect in March 2009 where it had rejected wider initiatives to permit doctors administer lethal medications in 1991. Montana became the third to legalize the assisted suicide act in December 2009. The State's Supreme Court said in a 4-2 decision that was issued on 31 December, 2009, the following: "Physicians should no longer be afraid of criminal prosecution in the case of any lethal prescription for mentally competent patients with terminal illnesses". The court refused to rule that patients with terminally illnesses have a constitutional right to medical practitioners' assistance in dying (Lachman, 2010).
Why Do Some Doctors Support Assisted Suicide even if It Is a Hard Step?
Some medical practitioners support assisted suicide because of so many reasons. Some of them believe that assisting patients in ending their lives is the best option based on the hopeless conditions they are living in. Because dome doctors are so passionate about people, they tend to understand with their patients and feel their pain. When their patients' conditions become critical, they feel there is no hope for survival. They cannot wait to see the agony and suffering end, and they tend to present or support the option of assisted suicide. It is considered to be a rapid and comfortable assistance by ending patients' troubles. And what is more, you may buy argumentative essay here.
Most of these doctors believe their patients have the right to their opinions and choices. Thus, they tend not to deprive their patients of their rights. Even though it is professionally unethical and a hard step to take, but some doctors still believe the rights of their patients should be protected by granting their requests.
In conclusion, assisted suicide is a very crucial subject both in the legal and medical spheres whereby patients request for assistance from doctors in order to end their lives. This act is unethical, immoral and religiously wrong. Thus, it is not generally accepted. It is legally accepted in some places such as Oregon, Montana and Washington states in the United States. Some doctors tend to support the act of assisted suicide, even though it is a hard step for them to take. It seems to be a form of help to patients. However, the act of assisting patients to end their lives does not help them; neither does it help their families, nor the society, at large.
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