Physician+Assisted+Suicide+Inalienable+Right

Controversy Surrounding Physician- Assisted Suicide
Physician-assisted suicide, PAS or also known as PAD, is a procedure that involves allowing the patient to choose when to end his or her own life. This procedure does indeed differ from the similar procedure called euthanasia. Patients who request PAS are usually in a state of critical condition or have illnesses that cannot be cured like cancer or AIDs. Patients that want to go through with this procedure usually cannot because it is only legalized in five states within the United states and the District of Columbia. These individuals may suffer from physical illnesses and do not want their illnesses to determine their time of death. Although this perspective may seem understandable, the topic is highly debated. Individuals against the use of PAS argue that it goes directly against their own values, beliefs, and morals to intentionally end one's life sooner. The two sides which consist of supporters and opposers of the legalization of PAS propose valid arguments as to why they agree or disagree with the legalization of the procedure.



Current Standpoint With Legalization of PAS Within the U.S.
Washington, California, Oregon, Colorado and Vermont are the five states that have already legalized physician-assisted suicide including the District of Columbia. In Montana, it is also legal by court decision. The individuals who stand at two sides of spectrum continue to voice their opinions in court cases such as “Compassion in Dying vs State of Washington”, “Sanders vs Wyoming" and more. The fight for legalization nationwide is still present today. The two main debates concerning the subject include whether PAS is ethical and whether or not PAS is a constitutional right that is currently denied to a majority of U.S citizens.

For the states that have legalized PAS in the United States, physicians must follow specific rules that are required under law to abide by if a patient requests to go through with the procedure. Oregon is one of the states that has legalized PAS and their regulations and requirements are stated explicitly in this document.

Health statistics of people who have a loved one pursue in PAS
In a span of 10 years, Ganzini, Goy, and Prigerson assessed the health outcome of family members who had a loved one pursue in physician assisted suicide in the state of Oregon. Statistically speaking, family members who had a loved one pursue in physician assisted suicide did not have negative effects afterwards. As a matter of fact, Ganzini, Goy, and Prigerson concluded that these family members who had a loved one experience physician assisted suicide had both a better preparation and acceptance of their death.



Why Do Patients and Supporters Fight For PAS?
The request for PAS is only granted to patients who have some sort of terminal illness such as cancer. The desire for the patient to end their own life on their own terms is something that can only be explained by the patient themselves. Outsiders who are not experiencing the same situation may not fully understand why these patients may want to request the use of PAS. These reasons may vary from financial issues, depression, mercy to end one's suffering, or the ability to choose one's time of death. The patient's family members and loved ones are also taken into consideration with PAS. Family members of patients that request the use of PAS participated in research studies that looked into why the patients requested PAS and ultimate results of it. Individuals, like Brittany Maynard, who are diagnosed with a terminal illness want to have control over what happens to their life. Brittany Maynard gives a legislative testimony which explains why PAS is an inalienable right that should be legalized in all states throughout the United States.

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Fear of Prosecution
Arnold and Falk, a married couple, both undergo a horrible experience with physician assisted suicide. Falk, Arnold's husband, had a severe condition of stomach cancer and was deteriorating quickly. Falk and Arnold's doctor discreetly gave them a vial of morphine that would either kill or help with Falk's condition. Arnold does not give Falk the morphine, but Falk did end up passing away a couple days later after he was put on hospice. This particular article explains that some doctors or nurses want to help with assisting with a terminally ill patients death but are afraid of prosecution, so they will hint vaguely how to do so. This makes many individuals have to interpret what these nurses and doctors mean and can cause confusion.

Arguments for and against PAS
Andre and Velasquez provide both the positive and negative reasoning about physician assisted suicide. They state the main arguments against this procedure is that it is immoral to help someone assist in their death. They explain that it "violates a fundamental duty we have to respect human life" (15, 16). In opposition to these arguments against PAS, the arguments for physician assisted suicide state "when such people beg for a merciful end to their pain and indignity, it is cruel and inhumane to refuse their pleas" (15, 16). We as individuals should choose to die on our own terms.

Issues Around PAS Decision Making Rights
A concerning issue relating to physician-assisted suicide is if whether the individual seeking for death is not in the right mindset or mentally capable to make an important decision. Wittwer said “'Rationality' can refer either to a particular ability or property” (20, 15). An individual is rational when they are capable of following their decision after consulting all of their options and have acknowledged certain norms for their choice. As it con cerns the issue of rationality towards suicide, we ought to remember that a choice infers the regularizing judgment that the decision ought not to have been made. For an individual to be qualified to have the ability to make a rational decision, Gallagher states certain criteria. The individual should have the capacity to recall and comprehend data, understand the results of the choices being considered, judge what is best for his or her circumstances, and also give purposes behind the solicitation that are related to their known morals (20, 15). The cartoon image is an example of how people do feel uncomfortable with the decisions of those who are mentally irrational. If a patient has an illness, it can affect their ability to make a rational decision. The individual becomes confused, less aware of their surroundings, and change their decisions consistently. Being in a state of depression is one thing, but for an individual to seek death while in the state of depression is a whole other issue. People with depression feel burdened by decisions to the point where they frequently believe that they are inadequate to make decisions. This mindset results in an individual locking themselves away in a state they think all the decisions they make are not right and begin to fear to make the wrong decisions. One possible reasoning individuals with depression may be uncertain or indecisive is that they need inspiration. Inspiration is hindered in depression and without it, the chances of making a decision are reduced and slows down the thinking process which indicates that indecisive choices in depression are an issue. This idea goes against the “safeguard theory” because the individual is not freely making their decision because another person is influencing the individual.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Looking Beyond the Surface
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The reality of legalizing physician-assisted suicide is that patients will have the liberty to decide when he or she can end his or her own life. There is a common misconception that if this procedure is legalized in hospitals nationwide there will be a numerous amount of requests from patients and the nurses, physicians, etc. will not take their duty to save lives as a priority anymore. However, research specifically shown in Lachman's article that the "legalization of PAS within the five states has in fact improved conditions of hospitals and quality of palliative care within hospitals"(7, 1). It is also clearly stated in the code of ethics for nursing that "anyone coercing patient[s] into PAD is criminally and civilly liable and if a doctor is negligent in his review of the patient, he may be held civilly liable" (7, 1). Therefore, health professionals will still continue to be responsible for the health and well-being of their patients under any condition and they are not allowed to promote or urge patients to request PAS.



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This ad campaign created by the Dignity in Dying organization impressively covers the key points that advocates of legalization of PAS state to support their stance in the debate. The video makes an attempt to put viewers in the shoes of an individual that is diagnosed with an illness and has feelings of hopelessness and loss of control. The narrator then continues to explain how the ability to have the choice to undergo PAS would be life-changing and liberating for these individuals.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Research Papers Regarding Physician Assisted Suicide


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Legalization of PAS [[file:Research Paper.docx]]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PAS: Issues Around Decision Making [[file:PAS Decision Making.docx]]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Related Links


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Constitutional Rights regarding PAS
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@Christian Views on Death
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@Physiological Effects of a Terminal Diagnosis
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Purpose of PAS
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Homepage
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Health and Medicine Page

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Works Cited

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. CompassionChoices. "Brittany Maynard Legislative Testimony." YouTube. YouTube, 31 Mar. 2015. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. <@https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi8AP_EhM94>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Dignified Dying is a Human Right. Digital Image. Pus.edu. Medical Ethics and Health. Web. 23. April 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. DignityinDying. "Dignity in Dying - Respect Choice." YouTube. YouTube, 06 Sept. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. <@https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LPO4Ke1EtQ>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Ganzini, Linda, Elizabeth R. Goy, and Steven K. Dobscha. "Why Oregon Patients Request Assisted Death: Family Members’ Views." J GEN INTERN MED Journal of General Internal Medicine 23.8 (2008): 1296. PMC. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. <@http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2265314/>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. Give Me Liberty in My Death. Digital image. Storify. FoothillDragonPress. Web. 23 April 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. Haddix, Brittany Payne. "Physician-Assisted Suicide Video." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Apr. 2011. Web. 22 Apr. 2016. <@https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mWW2CpkaxA>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">7. Lachman, Vicki. "Physician- Assisted Suicide: Compassionate Liberation or Murder?" Nursing World. MEDSURG Nursing: 19.2, n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">8. Legalization of PAS Map. Digital Image. Vox. Death with Dignity. Web. 23 April 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">9. Norman-Eady, Sandra. Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law. Rep. no. 0077. Oregon Health Department's Annual Reports, 22 Jan. 2002. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. <https://www.cga.ct.gov/2002/rpt/2002-R-0077.htm>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">10. PAS Comic. Digital Image. TheStylus. Statesman Journal. Web. 23 April 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">11. "Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal?." ProConorg Headlines. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. <@http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001320>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">12. Standler, B. Ronald. Annotated Legal Cases on Physician-Assisted Suicide in the USA. RBS2. (2012): 1-124. PDF file. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">13. Waimberg, Joshua. "Does the Constitution Protect a 'right to Die?" Constitution Daily. N.p., 02 Oct. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. <@http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2015/10/does-the-constitution-protect-a-right-to-die/>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">14. White, Christina. “Physician Aid-In- Dying”. Houston Law Review. Symposium 2015, Vol. 53 Issue 2. 595-629. Galileo. Web. 10 February 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">15. Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. "Assisted Suicide: A Right or a Wrong?" Resources. N.p., 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. <https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus areas/bioethics/resources/assistedsuicide-a-right-or-a-wrong/>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 16. Dembosky, April. "What Remains Unsaid about Assisted Suicide." CNN.com Gray areas-assisted-suicide. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 17. “Mental Health Outcomes of Family Members of Oregonians Who Request Physician Aid in Dying.” December 2009. Linda Ganzini, Elizabeth R. Goy, Steven K. Dobscha, Holly Prigerson. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Vol. 38, No. 6, pp. 807-81 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">18. Saunder, Peter. "Oregon’s Record High Assisted Suicides Sound Alarm Worldwide." LifeNews.com. N.p., 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Apr. 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">19. Dembosky, April. "What Remains Unsaid about Assisted Suicide." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">20. Gallagher, Romayne. "Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: The Issues." Canadian Virtual Hospice. N.p., 15 July 2015. Web. 21 June 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">21. Wright, Rollin M., Yazan F. Roumani, Robert Boudreau, Anne B. Newman, Christine M. Ruby, Stephanie A. Studenski, Ronald I. Shorr, Douglas C. Bauer, Eleanor M. Simonsick, Sarah N. Hilmer, and Joseph T. Hanlon. "Effect of Central Nervous System Medication Use on Decline in Cognition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Findings from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study." Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 57.2 (2009): 243-50. 28 Jan. 2009. Web. 20 June 2016. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">22. Washerman, Dan. Death with Dignity Law. Digital image. Duke Research Blog. Duke University, n.d. Web. 19 July 2016.