As a human race we crave control. Control of our work, control of our government, and now some even crave control of death. The “Death with Dignity” act promotes physician assisted suicide (PAS), providing an unethical and alarming “solution” to suffering or loss of hope. This bill contains numerous flaws which endanger the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society.
According to DeathwithDignity.org campaigns supporting PAS have circulated the nation since 1993. So far only Oregon, California, Washington, and Vermont have implemented this bill. Though PAS has become legal in some states, it has been far from successful. Oregon.gov states the bill, but the requirements are facilely evaded. The prescription must be written by …show more content…
No doctor is omniscient, no health care plan is without flaws. Even the most famous, most reputable physicians can be wrong. Normally we just accept this and realize that they do the best they can, but, when a human life is on the line, no life or death decision should ever be made. Qualifications for the bill require the patient to be within six months of death, but no physician knows for sure. In 2007 my grandfather fell ill, he was in the hospital for weeks and barely able to sip ginger ale. Tons of scans, blood tests, and biopsies were performed, the diagnosis was cancer. We were told his abdomen was filled with solid tumors and they prepared us to say goodbye. There was no hope! Thankfully, through an amazing series of events, including some illegal behavior, my mom, a medical doctor, got a hold of my grandfather’s charts and scans. To her astonishment the scans didn’t show solid tumors, rather they portrayed fluid. She had spent many hours in the hospital and was wary that she was just seeing what she wanted to see. But after a second opinion, it was confirmed, his abdomen was filled with pus. The hospital pumped over two liters of pus out of my grandfather’s abdomen. He recovered fully and is alive to this day, with excellent quality of …show more content…
Pereira’s article “Legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide: the illusion of safeguards and controls” he discusses the downfalls and weak points in the PAS movement. He addresses the increased tolerance of euthanasia and/or PAS in the select states and countries where PAS is currently legal. It shifts from,
“People who are terminally ill, to euthanasia of those who are chronically ill; from euthanasia for physical illness, to euthanasia for mental illness; from euthanasia for mental illness, to euthanasia for psychological distress or mental suffering—and now to euthanasia simply if a person is over the age of 70 and ‘tired of living’ (Pereira).”
Pereira examines the “slippery slope” of blind acceptance throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, and Oregon. Those in support of PAS tend to disregard this argument it for lack of proof, but if they opened their eyes and looked at the troubling statistics and trends arising they could no longer plead
According to DeathwithDignity.org campaigns supporting PAS have circulated the nation since 1993. So far only Oregon, California, Washington, and Vermont have implemented this bill. Though PAS has become legal in some states, it has been far from successful. Oregon.gov states the bill, but the requirements are facilely evaded. The prescription must be written by …show more content…
No doctor is omniscient, no health care plan is without flaws. Even the most famous, most reputable physicians can be wrong. Normally we just accept this and realize that they do the best they can, but, when a human life is on the line, no life or death decision should ever be made. Qualifications for the bill require the patient to be within six months of death, but no physician knows for sure. In 2007 my grandfather fell ill, he was in the hospital for weeks and barely able to sip ginger ale. Tons of scans, blood tests, and biopsies were performed, the diagnosis was cancer. We were told his abdomen was filled with solid tumors and they prepared us to say goodbye. There was no hope! Thankfully, through an amazing series of events, including some illegal behavior, my mom, a medical doctor, got a hold of my grandfather’s charts and scans. To her astonishment the scans didn’t show solid tumors, rather they portrayed fluid. She had spent many hours in the hospital and was wary that she was just seeing what she wanted to see. But after a second opinion, it was confirmed, his abdomen was filled with pus. The hospital pumped over two liters of pus out of my grandfather’s abdomen. He recovered fully and is alive to this day, with excellent quality of …show more content…
Pereira’s article “Legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide: the illusion of safeguards and controls” he discusses the downfalls and weak points in the PAS movement. He addresses the increased tolerance of euthanasia and/or PAS in the select states and countries where PAS is currently legal. It shifts from,
“People who are terminally ill, to euthanasia of those who are chronically ill; from euthanasia for physical illness, to euthanasia for mental illness; from euthanasia for mental illness, to euthanasia for psychological distress or mental suffering—and now to euthanasia simply if a person is over the age of 70 and ‘tired of living’ (Pereira).”
Pereira examines the “slippery slope” of blind acceptance throughout the Netherlands, Belgium, and Oregon. Those in support of PAS tend to disregard this argument it for lack of proof, but if they opened their eyes and looked at the troubling statistics and trends arising they could no longer plead