Physician Assisted Suicide Ethics

Over the past decade one of the most controversial topics in modern American society has been discussion involving the moral and ethical standards linked to physician assisted suicide. Physician assisted suicide can be described as any case when a medical practitioner is allowed to help a patient actively determine the time and circumstances of their death. This process is most commonly carried out when a medical practitioner provides a patient with access to a lethal dose of medication which the patient can then self-administer. For many Americans this causes a great ethical concern. Through the communication power of social media outlets cases have been spread to many social groups that at one point may have been unaware of options such as …show more content…
While this practice is legal there have been guidelines put in place to ensure the reasoning’s behind these cases meet ethical, legal, and medical standards. It is more difficult than a patient who cannot currently tolerate pain at given period while under medical care to suddenly decide that euthanasia or physician assisted suicide is the chosen route of medical treatment. To ensure this medical practice followed some form of guidance and qualification a five step process was put into place. Banovic and Turanjanin outlined these five steps as, “the request originates from the patient, and is given free and voluntary; the patient suffers intolerable pain, which cannot be facilitated; patient is aware of his medical condition and perspectives; euthanasia is last sanctuary for patients, because there are no other alternative; the doctor, who has to perform an euthanasia, consulted a colleague who has experience in this field, and which has examined a patient and agreed that all conditions are met for euthanasia or assisted suicide, and euthanasia or assisted suicide is performed with the necessary care (Banovic & Turanjanin, 2014).” With these steps placed into effect to ensure euthanasia is practiced in a controlled ethical manner the true problem arises with providing terminally ill patients with the right to die with dignity and the ability to end unbearable …show more content…
Yang explains, “It is never justifiable because it unjustly patronizes the desires of the few who request physician assisted suicide over the needs of the much larger number who have already endured, or expect to endure, the debility and dependence that advocates for physician assisted suicide desire to avoid (Yang, 2016).” While arguments for and against euthanasia stretch substantially many argumentative cases arise from individuals who form opinions on the topic without having a clear understanding of the concepts and forms of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. While guidelines and laws must be placed into effect regarding this topic to avoid financial and economic factors that may influence decision making by the patient such as those who do not want to be burden to their families, be seen as week, selfish or irrational. Having a clear understanding of euthanasia and the reasons behind this practice will led many individuals to favor the opportunity to offer terminally ill patients with this method of

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Ethics In Physician Assisted Suicide Essay

Physician assisted suicide Essay