The topic of physician-assisted suicide remains highly controversial within the United States. The American Medical Association classifies physician-assisted suicide as having occurred “when a physician facilitates a patient’s death by providing the necessary means and/or information to enable the patient to perform the life-ending act.” Arguments suggest that physician-assisted suicide is plausible when the patient is facing a terminal illness and has a poor prognosis. However, others may dispute this, as they believe that this is not ethically permissible. They believe that life is a gift from God, and physician-assisted suicide runs directly counter to the traditional duties of the physician to preserve life and to do no harm. Also,
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The “Death with Dignity Act” was passed in Washington, Oregon, and Vermont. Oregon was the first state to pass this law in 1997. These states claim that each person has autonomy over their own life. Persons whose quality of life is nonexistent should have the right to decide to commit suicide, and to seek assistance, if necessary, to achieve this, according to the Religious Tolerance Organization.
The Huffington Post published the results of a poll conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine. A variety of primarily healthcare providers across 74 different countries cast 2,356 votes. Of those votes, 1,712 votes were from U.S. readers. The poll concluded that approximately 65 percent of votes were against physician-assisted suicide. The United States percentage was roughly the same at about 67 percent of readers who were against the idea of physician-assisted suicide.
The next question that is posed by the opposing groups is whether physician-assisted suicide is a civil right or a human right. Some of these opponents question whether physician-assisted suicide could ultimately lead to physician-assisted euthanasia. Physician-assisted euthanasia occurs when a doctor would take an active role in the patient’s death by actually administering a lethal drug, rather than just prescribing
The “Death with Dignity Act” was passed in Washington, Oregon, and Vermont. Oregon was the first state to pass this law in 1997. These states claim that each person has autonomy over their own life. Persons whose quality of life is nonexistent should have the right to decide to commit suicide, and to seek assistance, if necessary, to achieve this, according to the Religious Tolerance Organization.
The Huffington Post published the results of a poll conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine. A variety of primarily healthcare providers across 74 different countries cast 2,356 votes. Of those votes, 1,712 votes were from U.S. readers. The poll concluded that approximately 65 percent of votes were against physician-assisted suicide. The United States percentage was roughly the same at about 67 percent of readers who were against the idea of physician-assisted suicide.
The next question that is posed by the opposing groups is whether physician-assisted suicide is a civil right or a human right. Some of these opponents question whether physician-assisted suicide could ultimately lead to physician-assisted euthanasia. Physician-assisted euthanasia occurs when a doctor would take an active role in the patient’s death by actually administering a lethal drug, rather than just prescribing