Did you know that you could take your own life and get help doing it? Did you know that it is legal in 5 states and that a Dr. can assist you? This is called assisted suicide. Now let me give you some facts and history on this highly controversial issue. I will also discuss why this practice may be unethical.
To give you little history of how assisted suicide started back in the 1960’s and 70’s a doctor by the name of Jack Kevorkian who is also know as (Dr. Death), worked as a staff pathologist at hospitals in Michigan and southern California then in 1982 he retired from his practice and began to devote his full time mission in helping patients end their lives. Dr. Kevorkian first gained international attention when he helped a 54-year-old …show more content…
Although the name of the acts that were pasted in the 5 states they all require the same thing, this causes fear for other patients who do not agree with the act as well as disagreement with other physicians who do not approve of assisted suicide. Assisting a patient in suicide goes against a doctor’s oath, which is to help and treat patients to the best of their abilities rather than to harm their patients. When doctors are in medical school and before they officially become doctor they must take an oath called the Hippocratic oath. This oath comes from Hippocrates “The Father of Medicine” and has been written over many times. This oath requires a new physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards. The oath specifically says that a doctor with do no harm or injustice to their patients which brings you back to doctors doing harm to their patients when the patients are asking them to help them die. The doctors who are agreeing to contribute in this law in the legalized states are going against the oath they took in order to become a doctor and are going against their principals. This is giving other patients fear that the person
To give you little history of how assisted suicide started back in the 1960’s and 70’s a doctor by the name of Jack Kevorkian who is also know as (Dr. Death), worked as a staff pathologist at hospitals in Michigan and southern California then in 1982 he retired from his practice and began to devote his full time mission in helping patients end their lives. Dr. Kevorkian first gained international attention when he helped a 54-year-old …show more content…
Although the name of the acts that were pasted in the 5 states they all require the same thing, this causes fear for other patients who do not agree with the act as well as disagreement with other physicians who do not approve of assisted suicide. Assisting a patient in suicide goes against a doctor’s oath, which is to help and treat patients to the best of their abilities rather than to harm their patients. When doctors are in medical school and before they officially become doctor they must take an oath called the Hippocratic oath. This oath comes from Hippocrates “The Father of Medicine” and has been written over many times. This oath requires a new physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards. The oath specifically says that a doctor with do no harm or injustice to their patients which brings you back to doctors doing harm to their patients when the patients are asking them to help them die. The doctors who are agreeing to contribute in this law in the legalized states are going against the oath they took in order to become a doctor and are going against their principals. This is giving other patients fear that the person