Throughout the ages physicians have been known to aide their patients in dying through poison; however, with the influx of Christianity the Hippocratic School and their train of thought gained headway in their beliefs of never giving deadly drugs to patients (Friend, 2011). Many physicians and philosophers have protested over the centuries that suicide is a personal choice that should be accepted. In the 17th century a man by the name of Francis Bacon believed that it was a physician’s responsibility to end a patient’s suffering even if it meant the end of their life. In the 1870’s Samuel D. Williams, a school teacher, argued that utilizing medicine to terminate an individual’s life was sensible when a person was dying (Friend, 2011).
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The practice of PAS was not even the first argument regarding ending one’s life within the United States; instead it was euthanasia that was first considered in the state of Ohio in 1906. Euthanasia is a very different practice than physician-assisted suicide. Consent is not always needed for euthanasia depending upon the circumstances. The bill in Ohio was eventually denied; however, many people seem to confuse euthanasia with physician-assisted suicide (Friend, 2011). This is why it is so important to distinguish the difference between the two. Active euthanasia is when an individual, that is not the patient, preforms an action in order to terminate that patient’s life (Volker, 2007). Physician-assisted suicide, or PAS, is generally defined as “when a physician provides the means (usually drugs) and advice that enable the person to commit suicide” (Darr, 2000). There are two key differences between PAS and euthanasia. First, with PAS someone, typically a doctor, provides the tools for bringing about death; however, they do not actually administer the means that causes the death of the patient. In euthanasia there is an individual, typically a doctor, who not only provides the tools for death but is also the one who administers the means of death (Volker, 2007). The second and very important difference between these two is the aspect of …show more content…
Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was a retired pathologist from Michigan. An Alzheimer’s patient by the name of Janet Adkins was aided in her suicide by Dr. Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was able to evade any convictions until 1999. Throughout this time he helps hundreds of individuals end their lives (Darr, 2000). The ethical and professional aspects of what Kevorkian was doing were called into question; however, the biggest concern was the fact that Kevorkian was not qualified to determine a patient’s disease and he also did not have any prior relationship with the patients. It is interesting to note that the Supreme Court refused to assess Kevorkian’s activities in 1995 (Darr,
The practice of PAS was not even the first argument regarding ending one’s life within the United States; instead it was euthanasia that was first considered in the state of Ohio in 1906. Euthanasia is a very different practice than physician-assisted suicide. Consent is not always needed for euthanasia depending upon the circumstances. The bill in Ohio was eventually denied; however, many people seem to confuse euthanasia with physician-assisted suicide (Friend, 2011). This is why it is so important to distinguish the difference between the two. Active euthanasia is when an individual, that is not the patient, preforms an action in order to terminate that patient’s life (Volker, 2007). Physician-assisted suicide, or PAS, is generally defined as “when a physician provides the means (usually drugs) and advice that enable the person to commit suicide” (Darr, 2000). There are two key differences between PAS and euthanasia. First, with PAS someone, typically a doctor, provides the tools for bringing about death; however, they do not actually administer the means that causes the death of the patient. In euthanasia there is an individual, typically a doctor, who not only provides the tools for death but is also the one who administers the means of death (Volker, 2007). The second and very important difference between these two is the aspect of …show more content…
Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was a retired pathologist from Michigan. An Alzheimer’s patient by the name of Janet Adkins was aided in her suicide by Dr. Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian was able to evade any convictions until 1999. Throughout this time he helps hundreds of individuals end their lives (Darr, 2000). The ethical and professional aspects of what Kevorkian was doing were called into question; however, the biggest concern was the fact that Kevorkian was not qualified to determine a patient’s disease and he also did not have any prior relationship with the patients. It is interesting to note that the Supreme Court refused to assess Kevorkian’s activities in 1995 (Darr,