PAS: The Right of Each Patient

1613 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Impact of physician assisted suicide and patient

As a congressman from the state of Oregon that currently has a regulated physician assisted suicide program for the terminally ill, I am writing to you today, Mr. Blumenauer, to possibly convince you to draft a national law to legalize PAS for the United States specifically for the terminally ill. As you may know, the talk within this issue has been going around quite some time. Many americans fear that by legalizing PAS that it might create problematic issues that could lead to abuse as well as lack of advancement for medicine. Due to this fear, I feel as though you are the best person to draft this bill because you know what works and what does not. This also makes you adequate to advance this conversation currently going on about legalizing PAS. With three other states currently trying to approve a bill that will grant ill patient with the choice of assisted suicide, as well as the statistical finding that majority of Americans have no problem with PAS when it ties in with terminally ill patient, I think it is time for it to be legalized all over the states. The reason i want this to be accomplished is due to the patient’s right of life and death, it is perfectly legal for patients to legally refuse treatment so PAS should not be illegal, and in a way is a humane way to end someone life. To appease both side, I believe there should be tough restriction when it comes with PAS. I think the model from your home state (the Death with Dignity Act) sets up a perfect compromise because it has restrictions such as an age limit, only allowing patients with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months, and the capability of the patient to make sound decision that will clearly make both sides satisfy. As a congressman ... ... middle of paper ... ...o Access Them.” Death with Dignity National Center. Drupal, n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2014. http://www.deathwithdignity.org/access-acts Dieterel, J.M. "Physician Assisted Suicide: A New Look At The Arguments." Bioethics 21.3 (2007): 127-139. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uta.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4fd20a10-6e81-4245-8e38-b60febd4c8a6%40sessionmgr113&vid=6&hid=107 Hanafin, Matt. “Mercy or Murder: A Case Against Assisted Suicide.” Lifenews.com. lifenews.com, 5 Sept. 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. http://www.lifenews.com/2013/09/05/mercy-or-murder-a-case-against-assisted-suicide/ Hensley, Scott. “Americans Support Physicians Assisted Suicide for Terminally Ill.” Shots, NPR.com, 28 Dec 2012. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/12/27/168150886/americans-support-physician-assisted-suicide-for-terminally-ill

Show More
Related

  • The Mercy Killers

    1467 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gorsuch, Neil M. “The Right to Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia.” Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. (2000): n. pag. Web. 8 July 2011.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Physician Assisted Suicide

    1385 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagine a family member being extremely ill and suffering from day to day. When they decide they cannot take the pain any more, would you want them to pull through for you or would you fulfill their dying wish and let the doctor pull the plug? Could you even make a decision? Many people would not allow such an event to happen because with all the pain and confusion the patient is enduring may cause confusion and suicidal tendencies. However, there are people who believe otherwise. This is called physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is a controversial topic that causes much debate. Though it is only legal in the three states Oregon, Washington and Montana, there are many people who are for it and think it can be necessary. Even with morals put aside, Physician-assisted suicide should be illegal because it will be a huge violation of the oath every doctor must abide by, there would be no real way to distinguish between people who are suffering and the people who are faking or depressed, and it causes a lot of confusion to people with new diseases or new strands of disease that does not have a clear cure.

    Read More

  • Physician Aid-in-Dying (PAD): The Right to Choose

    1783 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sloss, David. "The Right to Choose How to Die: A Constitutional Analysis of State Laws Prohibiting Physician-Assisted Suicide." Stanford Law Review. 48.4 (1996): 937-973. Web. 2 March 2015.

    Read More

  • The Devastating Suicide in Bone

    1165 Words  | 3 Pages

    Barrington, Mary Rose. "The Right to Suicide." Problems of Death. Ed. Bender, David L. Anoka: Greenhaven, 1974. 114-119.

    Read More

  • Physician-Assisted Suicide and Free Will

    2443 Words  | 5 Pages

    Dworkin, Gerald. " The Nature of Medicine." Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: For and Against. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998.

    Read More

  • Physician Assisted Suicide ( Pas )

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imagine, if you will, that you have just found out you have a terminal medical condition. Doesn’t matter which one, it’s terminal. Over the 6 months you have to live you experience unmeasurable amounts of pain, and when your free of your pain the medication you’re under renders you in an impaired sense of consciousness. Towards the 4th month, you begin to believe all this suffering is pointless, you are to die anyways, why not with a little dignity. You begin to consider Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS). In this essay I will explain the ethical decisions and dilemmas one may face when deciding to accept the idea of Physician-Assisted Suicide. I will also provide factual information pertaining to the subject of PAS and testimony from some that advocate for legalization of PAS. PAS is not to be taken lightly. It is the decision to end one’s life with the aid of a medical physician. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary states that PAS is “Suicide by a patient facilitated by means (as a drug prescription) or by information (as an indication of a lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient’s intent.” PAS is considered, by our textbook – Doing Ethics by Lewis Vaughn, an active voluntary form of euthanasia. There are other forms of euthanasia such as non-voluntary, involuntary, and passive. This essay is focusing on PAS, an active voluntary form of euthanasia. PAS is commonly known as “Dying/Death with Dignity.” The most recent publicized case of PAS is the case of Brittany Maynard. She was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in California, where she lived. At the time California didn’t have Legislative right to allow Brittany the right to commit PAS so she was transported to Oregon where PAS is legal....

    Read More

  • Physician-Assisted Suicide is Morally and Ethically Acceptable

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    The long time debate over medically assisted suicide, the presence of a doctor at a patient’s suicide, resurfaced again with the conviction of doctor Jack Kevorkian.  Kevorkian was convicted of second degree murder when he euthanized, or administered the injection himself, Thomas Youk on September 17, 1998.  Dr. Kevorkian, an advocate and practitioner of medically assisted suicides, has many opponents on the issue. Opponents say that it is unethical and even with the consent of the patient that the procedure is still a homicide and not suicide.  I plan to show that physician-assisted suicide is morally and ethically acceptable, that court cases and laws have proven it to be acceptable, and that it is better than other alternatives.  It is only logical that through consent by the patient, that physician-assisted suicide is justified.

    Read More

  • The Death With Dignity Act

    1734 Words  | 4 Pages

    Oftentimes when one hears the term Physician Assisted Suicide (hereafter PAS) the words cruel and unethical come to mind. On October 27, 1997 Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act, this act would allow terminally ill Oregon residents to end their lives through a voluntary self-administered dose of lethal medications that are prescribed by a physician (Death with Dignity Act) . This has become a vital, medical and social movement. Having a choice should mean that a terminally ill patient is entitled to the choice to pursue PAS. If people have the right to refuse lifesaving treatments, such as chemo and palliative care, then the choice of ending life with PAS should be a choice that is allowed.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    Physicians Assisted Suicide An Argumentative Essay Physicians Assisted suicide is a topic many people are not fully informed about. Physician assisted suicide, or PAS for short, is when a physician can legally prescribe medicine for a patient to take in order to medically kill themselves. I believe that PAS should be talked more about in order for more people to understand how bad or grave it can be to a family and to our world. PAS falls underneath the umbrella of euthanasia. ?

    Read More

  • Life Is Overrated

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gorsuch, Neil M. “The Right to Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia.” Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. (2000): n. pag. Web. 8 July 2011.

    Read More

  • The Right to Physician Assisted Suicide

    1874 Words  | 4 Pages

    Cotton, Paul. "Medicine's Position Is Both Pivotal And Precarious In Assisted Suicide Debate." The  Journal of the American Association 1 Feb. 1995: 363-64.

    Read More

  • Medical Ethics

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    If physician-assisted suicide is legally permitted yet restricted to the terminally ill adult with full decision-making capacity, it will certainly raise legal concerns about discrimination. PAS will probably broaden to include incompetent, non-consenting, and non–terminally ill persons. The final extreme of the slippery slope argument is that PAS will be abused, run amok and ultimately become involuntary euthanasia. Physician-assisted suicide refers to the physician acting indirectly in the death of the patient -- providing the means for death.

    Read More

  • Dying with Dignity

    976 Words  | 2 Pages

    Messerli, Joe. “Should an incurably-ill patient be able to commit physician-assisted suicide?” BalancedPolitics. BalancedPolitics.org. 07 Jan. 2012. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Movie 'You Don T Know Jack'

    1270 Words  | 3 Pages

    Physician Assisted Suicide should be a right to all terminally ill patients in America with the exception of those who have not and cannot speak for themselves. Laws can be made to prevent abuse of the privilege and insure protection of human life. Medicine should be used for both saving, prolonging, and ending lives.

    Read More

  • The Ethics of Euthanasia

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    Quill, Timothy E. "Physicians Should 'Assist in Suicide' When it is Appropriate." Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 40.1 (2012): 57-65. CINAHL. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

More about PAS: The Right of Each Patient

Open Document