Assess the Intent and Impact of Publicity-Oriented Legal Challenges to Physician-Assisted Suicide
HS542ON Section A Nov 2011
Health Rights and Responsibilities
Professor A. Dennis
Research Paper
Assess the intent and impact of publicity-oriented legal challenges to physician-assisted suicide
12/11/2011
Background A retired social worker, Smith, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 86. He said that he has no regrets but worries about the pain. "Death itself is not a fearful consideration for me," he said. "But the process of dying could be if it were extremely uncomfortable." He is in no haste to die but expects that he will feel severe pain when the cancer reaches its final phases and when it happens; he would want his doctor to be able to prescribe him with a toxic dose of medication that he can use to end his life comfortably and peacefully. He said he doesn’t think of it as suicide because he’s dying anyway. Smith's wishes are in dispute in Superior Court now over whether doctors can legally prescribe lethal doses of medication to mentally capable, terminally sick patients who wish to end their lives because they in severe pain (Carroll, 2007) .
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS): The voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician. It is the practice of giving a fit patient a prescription for toxic medication upon the patient’s request to use with the intention to end his or her life (Pozgar, 2007).
Define the Problem:
PAS is only permitted in Oregon and Washington States in the United States. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act of 1996 of allows terminally sick person to be given prescription for lethal medications by their physicians to administer by themselves if they are to die within 6 months (Rutter, 1994).
PAS has its supporters and opponents. Some of the opponents are the physicians that believe that it against the fundamental principle of medicine and the duty of physicians which is to take care of ill patients; physicians are supposed to
Health Rights and Responsibilities
Professor A. Dennis
Research Paper
Assess the intent and impact of publicity-oriented legal challenges to physician-assisted suicide
12/11/2011
Background A retired social worker, Smith, was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 86. He said that he has no regrets but worries about the pain. "Death itself is not a fearful consideration for me," he said. "But the process of dying could be if it were extremely uncomfortable." He is in no haste to die but expects that he will feel severe pain when the cancer reaches its final phases and when it happens; he would want his doctor to be able to prescribe him with a toxic dose of medication that he can use to end his life comfortably and peacefully. He said he doesn’t think of it as suicide because he’s dying anyway. Smith's wishes are in dispute in Superior Court now over whether doctors can legally prescribe lethal doses of medication to mentally capable, terminally sick patients who wish to end their lives because they in severe pain (Carroll, 2007) .
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS): The voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician. It is the practice of giving a fit patient a prescription for toxic medication upon the patient’s request to use with the intention to end his or her life (Pozgar, 2007).
Define the Problem:
PAS is only permitted in Oregon and Washington States in the United States. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act of 1996 of allows terminally sick person to be given prescription for lethal medications by their physicians to administer by themselves if they are to die within 6 months (Rutter, 1994).
PAS has its supporters and opponents. Some of the opponents are the physicians that believe that it against the fundamental principle of medicine and the duty of physicians which is to take care of ill patients; physicians are supposed to
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