Advocates Against Assisted Suicide Advocates Essay

Advocates against assisted suicide argue that the untaken medication will be dispersed to a larger group of people than just the terminally ill it was intended for. A little over 40% of the population of individuals that received life-ending medication did not even take the medication (Keown 172). Keown details a summary of the prescriptions ingested in 2015 as of this current January. All of the medications that a prescription was written for were carefully tracked and observed. The Death with Dignity organization states â€Å"anyone who chooses not to ingest a prescribed dose or anyone in possession of any portion of the unused dose must dispose of the dose in a legal manner as determined by the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency or their state laws, if any.† Even with the closely monitored prescriptions â€Å"the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled in two unanimous decisions that there is no constitutional right to PAS† (Anderson). It is relatively impossible t hat an individual would be able to share their medication with another who does not meet eligibility requirements stated by the law. Why is the unwavering support of physician-assisted suicide overlooked because of the inevitable conclusion that it brings? Even with the legalization of assisted suicide, reasonable laws can be constructed which prevent abuse and still protect the value of human life. Josh Sanburn in â€Å"The Last Choice† argues against the preconceived notion that suicide devalues the life of a human, butShow MoreRelatedRichard Doerflinger s Argument Against Physician Assisted Suicide1465 Words   |  6 PagesDoerflinger is the first author and is against physician-assisted suicide. In his article he starts by saying that killing an innocent person is against the Jewish and Christian worldviews. He argues that those in favor of assisted suicide put less, if no, value on human life. He quoted an advocate of assisted suicide, Attorney Robert Risley, who stated that a life of suffering â€Å"racked with pain,† is â€Å"not the kind of life we cherish.† Roerflinger says that advocates argue for a pro-choice look at theRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide For The Terminally Ill Essay1554 Words   |   7 Pages Physician assisted suicide for the terminally ill is one of the most debated policies in America. Physician assisted suicide (PAS) is only considered a when a patient has a terminal illness and expresses their right to end their life with a physician. This scenario typically takes place when a patient is suffering severely from a terminal illness and it is only a matter of time before they will die. Advocates for PAS have typically had a loved one who is or was suffering through their final stagesRead MoreEuthanasia: The Case of Susan Wolfs Father1150 Words   |  5 Pagesa quite a while, Euthanasia and assisted suicide have been a topic of debate. The concern stretches from the legal, moral, religious and emotional basis. The query at hand is what is the appropriate response to assisted suicide? As opposed to Wolfs hastened response of No. It is widely accepted that there are varied reasons for allowing Physician-assisted suicide. However, Euthanasia is not as widely permitted. Rea son to this is that physician assisted suicide is not like to be abused; sinceRead MoreEthical Considerations in Dealing with Changes in the Healthcare System929 Words   |  4 Pagesthat creates controversial discussion is the subject of physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide is described as the act in which a physician provides the means necessary for the client to perform the act of suicide. The issue of physician-assisted suicide is viewed through many different perspectives. The topic of physician-assisted suicide has been debated since the development of medicine. Physician-assisted suicide was first legalized in the United States in Oregon in 1997. (LachmanRead More Euthanasia Essay715 Words   |  3 Pagesintended, it is not an act of euthanasia (Remmelink). That is where interpretation comes into the issue. A main argument of euthanasia advocates is a person living with unbearable pain. Documentation supporting this theory however is lacking. A recent Health Division report of assisted suicides in Oregon, the only state that has legalized physician-assisted suicides, revealed that not one patient had documented unbearable pain, but instead cited psychological and social concerns as their primary reasonsRead MoreAssisted Suicide Should Be Managed1273 Words   |  6 PagesAssisted Suicide Brittany Maynard was twenty-nine years old, she had been married for a year when she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Doctors gave her a prognosis of six months to live. After that, Brittany and her family decided to move to Oregon to take advantage of the Death with Dignity Act. On November 1, 2014, Maynard decided to end her life. Assisted suicide is a controversial topic that has been debated for many years. In a few countries, this procedure has already been legalized. ThereRead MoreEuthanasia and the Americans Right To Die Essay706 Words   |  3 Pagesbrought this issue to a higher level of visibility and raised the publics awareness of the American political landscape. Most notably among these events: the first-degree murder arrest of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the infamous advocate and practitioner of physician-assisted suicide, and the 1997 passage of the Death With Dignity act in Oregon. The American Heritage Dictionary defines euthanasia as the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurableRead MoreThe Debate Of Assisted Suicide1747 Words   |  7 Pages The topic of assisted suicide is very controversial and is heavily debated upon all around the world. While physician assisted suicide is only legal in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and a few states in the U.S., it is illegally practiced widely by physicians and nurses, such as Dr. Jack Kevorkian. I first heard of physician assisted suicide when the death of Dr. Kevorkian, an assisted suicide advocate and a suicide aid, was on the news in 2011. Kevorkian assisted in the suicide of many patientsRead MoreThe Ups And Downs Of Euthanasia1288 Words   |  6 Pagesalter. As of May 2017, forty-four states, including Alabama, have laws and prohibitions that deem euthanasia illegal (Should Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide by Legal?). California, Colorado, Monta na, Vermont, Washington (D.C.) and Oregon are the only states that allow the euthanization of humans (Should Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legal?). Despite the fact that there are many oppositions, euthanization should be legalized for many reasons. Although it could be characterizedRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide And Its Impact On Society1274 Words   |  6 PagesTo better understand physician-assisted suicide, it is important to consider its history in our society. Euthanasia can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks, however by the thirteenth century Christians, as well as Jews, opposed the practice due to religious beliefs. The earliest United States law prohibiting assisted suicide was passed in New York in 1828. During World War II, Hitler organized mercy killing of the sick or disabled; often referred to as, Aktion T4 this program was enacted for disabled