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Physician Assisted Suicide

Payton Ortman

March 13, 2017

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Physician Assisted Suicide

Imagine being paralyzed from your neck down. You are dying of starvation because you

are too weak to swallow. You cry uncontrollably, your speech is slurred, and you have just a few

months to live. Over 130 terminally ill people in these types of situations were assisted in 1990

with the help of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, nicknamed Dr. Death. He illegally injected the individuals

with a fatal drug that would kill them by inducing heart failure. According to Kevorkians

lawyer, the victims took the final action, resulting in their own deaths. Despite the lawyers

claims, Kevorkian was convicted of second degree murder instead of assisted suicide. Is

Physician Assisted Suicide murder?

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is thought of as a more humane way of dying,

therefore, is not considered murder in Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg,

Switzerland, and a small part of the United States. In 1900 in the Netherlands, 9% of total deaths

were a result of Physician Assisted Suicide. However, 61% percent of those who received a

lethal dose of the drugs were not aware they were being euthanized. Another 27% were fully

competent and able to make the decision for themselves. The unaware 61% mainly consisted of:

extremely physically and/or mentally disabled infants and newborns, those who were

chronically depressed, and families deciding to euthanize a loved one if the individual was not

physically able to make a decision (Healthresearchfunding, 2015).

The United States has stricter laws than any other country when it comes to PAS. In order

for a patient to be written a lethal prescription in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, California or

Colorado, they must be classified as terminally ill with six months or less to live. The same rule

applies to the state of Montana, but a court order must justify it. In January of 2016, 1,545 lethal
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prescriptions had been written and 991 patients died from ingesting the drugs that were given to

them under the law. Those numbers statistically makes Oregon the state with the leading amount

of Physician Assisted Suicides reported. On the other hand, Vermont has the least amount of

reports with a mere 24 incidences of PSA between May 2013 to May 2016 (CNN, 2014).

Reflecting on the cultural diversity in the United States, there are a wide range of public

opinions about Physician Assisted Suicide and euthanasia. These differences in opinion have

been presented under court ruling and have been turned down in states such as Alaska, Florida,

and Hawaii. However, organizations such as the Death with Dignity National Center, Dying in

Dignity and Dignitas are working to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide across the globe. In fact,

the Death with Dignity National Center, played an immense part of the Oregon Death and

Dignity law being enacted on October 27, 1997. The Dying in Dignity is located in the United

Kingdom, and they look to bring about a generally more compassionate approach to the end-of-

life (BBC, 2011). The Dignitas are located in Switzerland, and help nationals and foreigners

with suicide by providing advice and lethal drugs. Unfortunately, 25% of people in Switzerland

who take advantage of the assisted suicide are not plagued by a terminal illness and are instead

tired of life (Dignitas, 2017).

That is just one example of the drawbacks of Physician Assisted Suicide. Another

opposed aspect is premature death since patients are dying earlier than they would if no one

intervened. In addition, doctors have been known to make inaccurate prognoses, so the

individual in question may have lived a longer, fuller life than previously expected. The patient

could also make an unexpected recovery, but assisted suicide would thwart any chance of this.

Although these are considerable elements, the most argued component is that Physician Assisted
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Suicide essentially gives the doctor permission to murder the patient, considering the doctors are

taking the patients life and arent charged with homicide.

On the contrary, there are clearly unmistakeable benefits of Physician Assisted Suicide.

For example, terminal illnesses can cause excruciating pain that increases as death nears.

Physician Assisted Suicide will stop the patient's pain along with the familys pain of watching a

loved one suffer. This also makes grief easier to deal with because the family is notified of the

patient's wish and are able to say goodbye. PAS will also save the family and government money

considering the drugs needed for assisted suicide are far less expensive than medical care costs

(Connectusfund). Finally, the patients are able to die knowing it was their choice allowing them

to retain dignity. They are also able to be surrounded by family and friends in their final

moments.

Views on assisted suicide are virtually equal when it comes to the public's opinion.

Research showed that 47% are in favor of passing a law for those who are terminally ill, but 49%

are opposed to these same laws (Nyln, 2015). These similar percentages show that assisted

suicide is a very complicated and controversial issue. Both sides present positive and negative

arguments based on their views, but no matter the decision of any single person or legislature,

the type of medical treatment used should be in the best interest of the patient. Given their

individual circumstances, that patient should receive all available help in order to give them the

best results.
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Works Cited

"Physician-Assisted Suicide Fast Facts." Cnn, 7 June 2016.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/26/us/physician-assisted-suicide-fast-facts/. Accessed 4

Mar. 2017.

"8 Main Pros and Cons of Legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide." Connectusfund,

http://connectusfund.org/8-main-pros-and-cons-of-legalizing-physician-assisted-suicide.

Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.

"Doctor Assisted Suicide Pros and Cons List." Nyln, 13 July 2015. http://nyln.org/doctor-

assisted-suicide-pros-and-cons-list. Accessed 5 Mar. 2017.

"25 Surprising Physician Assisted Suicide Statistics." Healthresearchfunding, 13 July 2014.

http://healthresearchfunding.org/physician-assisted-suicide-statistics/. Accessed 5 Mar.

2017.

Assistance with self-determined end of life Dignitas, 28 Feb. 2017.

http://www.dignitas.ch/?lang=en. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

UK group hails Swiss assisted suicide vote BBC, 15 May 2011.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13405719. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.