Pas vs Euthanasia
Every human being has the power to make decisions throughout the course of his or her life. People make choices every day, and it is the control that people have over their own lives that allows them to do so. This ability to have options and be able to make decisions should not cease to exist as a patient approaches the end of life. People have the right to believe strongly in personal autonomy and have the determination to control the end of their lives as wished (DeSpelder 238).
Toward the end of life, people should still be given the chance to make decisions, in order to allow them some form of control in a life. The option for Physician Assisted Suicide allows for those, who are approaching death, to end their lives without losing any dignity.
Physician Assisted Suicide is when a physician intentionally assists a person in committing his or her own suicide by providing drugs for self administration at a voluntary and competent request (Oliver 2006). With Physician Assisted Suicide, the physician provides the patient with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication, and counseling on the doses and the methods the patient must follow through with to complete the act (Sanders 2007). The physician may be present while the patient self-administers the medication, although this is not legally required. Also, the physician, or any other person, cannot assist the patient in administering the medication (Darr 2007).
Physician Assisted Suicide should not be confused with Euthanasia. In the practice of Physician Assisted Suicide, it is the patient who makes the final administration of the lethal medication. As far as Euthanasia is concerned, it is a deliberate action done with the intention to hasten or cause the death of an individual (Sanders 2007). Physician Assisted Suicide is only legal in the state of Oregon, while Euthanasia is illegal across the United States.
Even though Euthanasia is illegal, it was performed casually by a physician by the name
Toward the end of life, people should still be given the chance to make decisions, in order to allow them some form of control in a life. The option for Physician Assisted Suicide allows for those, who are approaching death, to end their lives without losing any dignity.
Physician Assisted Suicide is when a physician intentionally assists a person in committing his or her own suicide by providing drugs for self administration at a voluntary and competent request (Oliver 2006). With Physician Assisted Suicide, the physician provides the patient with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication, and counseling on the doses and the methods the patient must follow through with to complete the act (Sanders 2007). The physician may be present while the patient self-administers the medication, although this is not legally required. Also, the physician, or any other person, cannot assist the patient in administering the medication (Darr 2007).
Physician Assisted Suicide should not be confused with Euthanasia. In the practice of Physician Assisted Suicide, it is the patient who makes the final administration of the lethal medication. As far as Euthanasia is concerned, it is a deliberate action done with the intention to hasten or cause the death of an individual (Sanders 2007). Physician Assisted Suicide is only legal in the state of Oregon, while Euthanasia is illegal across the United States.
Even though Euthanasia is illegal, it was performed casually by a physician by the name