BACKGROUND We, Elizabeth, Jessica and Raina are studying Biotechnology- Forensics Advance in Fleming College. This report was prepared as an assignment for Technical Communications, as a Group Presentation Report. The report looks at the status of Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) in Canada. Being a contemporary medical, ethical and legal issue, we found it to be an apt report topic.…
Euthanasia is one of the most controversial topics and concerns in our society. It crosses many social, political, emotional and moral boundaries which is something many subjects cannot do all at once. This paper is meant to show my personal view on this controversial subject. Margaret Battin’s article ‘Euthanasia: The Fundamental Issues,’ discusses three moral principles that are typically used to argue for the legalization of euthanasia as a regulated practice. These three principles are; the Principle of Mercy, the Principle of (patient) Autonomy, and the Principle of Justice.…
As a result of a doctor-assisted death case, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the law, which prohibits anyone assisting in the termination of an individual’s life, had to be altered. Months later, when the Liberal’s legislation came to fruition, controversy spiked as people debated whether or not this new law was an adequate response to the Supreme Court ruling. With the desire to protect vulnerable people in mind, the Liberal’s answer fulfilled the requirements of the high court. By reviewing the criteria for eligibility, the human rights of Canadian citizens, and the reasoning behind not including mental health, it becomes apparent that the Liberal’s response was acceptable. Some would argue that the Liberal’s response to the Supreme…
Introduction In February 2015 the Supreme Court of Canada took the case of Carter v Canada to trial and the justices ruled that “Adults with grievous and irremediable medical conditions are entitled to physician assisted suicide” [1]. This ruling set a new precedent in Canada regarding the control that people have over their own autonomy and treatment which they are provided during terminal end-of-life scenarios. I believe that the decision made in this case was correct, and in this essay I will argue that the previous legislature which outlawed physician assisted suicide (PAS) was based upon unsound theories, and that PAS is a moral and ethical method of treatment. Exposition Section 14 of the charter of rights and freedoms states “No person…
The main argument about physician aid in dying and Euthanasia is whether or not it is ethical and whether or not it should be legal everywhere. However, the decision is the patient’s to make. The controversial topic of Physician Assisted Suicide is well known in the United States, and many people have found conflict in this practice because it breaks some religious values. The legalization of this practice, however is slowly progressing all over the world.…
Should Euthanasia be banned? The topic of euthanasia arouses much ethical debate and controversy. Euthanasia is the termination of a person’s life to end their suffering, usually through the injection of drugs. Debates about the ethics of euthanasia and medical assisted suicide date from ancient Greece and Rome.…
The main reasons that the populace of Canada is against euthanasia are it is against the Hippocratic Oath, it would devalue human life, and the “Slippery Slope” effect. Historical Background Historian Nick Kemp believes that euthanasia was debated and practised…
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.…
For instance, Abrupt death such as being stabbed in a robbery or being killed in a traffic accident gives us a chance to think about life or death. In other words, in those cases, we have no choice to decide our fate. However, the dying process due to a terminal illness is different from those cases. Such a situation will make our thoughts more chilled, so we will become completely level - headed persons. No one will decide death instantaneously.…
According to a poll conducted by Forum Research in June 2016, 72% of the 2,271 Canadians they surveyed are in favour of assisted death in Canada. Like many of these Canadians, I also believe that each of us should have the right to end our lives in our own terms. For one, medically-assisted dying gives people the “ability to make other arrangements to allow themselves to spend their final days in a more comfortable and personal setting.” Second, euthanasia can help shorten the grief of the patient’s loved ones. Not only that, assisted dying also unloads some of the financial burden their families might undergo after the patient dies.…
Some of the debates on doctor assisted suicide have raised the question whether people would refuse to fund palliative care when assisted suicide was legal (Health Law Institute, Euthanasia). However, no evidence supported that the fear of that has become reality where assisted suicide is legal. On the contrary, evidence has shown if doctor assisted suicide were legal, public officials and/or health care providers would not reduce resources for palliative care services (Health Law Institute, Euthanasia). After looking at the evidence relating to the relationship between legalizing doctor assisted suicide and the quality and availability of palliative care, there is no reliable evidence to support that assisted suicide will have a negative impact on palliative care. Prohibiting doctor assisted suicide also denies Canadian citizens basic fundamental rights such as life, liberty and security of the person, and the ability to die with dignity (Assisted Dying is a…
If doctors are enabled the decision to terminate a life on behalf of a unconscious patient, they would be then granted a power over society that not only breaches the Hippocratic Oath, but also empowers them to “play God”. This responsibility could then reflect upon society, altering their views and their trust within doctors and medical professionals as they could then be seen as “providers of death” (Cosic, 2003. 25) In addition to this, a doctor’s decision to terminate a life may not rely on the condition and best interests of the patient, but instead of amount of hospital beds and facilities that are…
Although there are objections to the legalization of euthanasia in Canada, those objections are…
Euthanasia is a serious issue in today’s society. Euthanasia is the act of relieving someone of his or her suffering by intentionally ending his or her life. Many people argue that euthanasia is beneficial to the person suffering as well as his or her family. On the other hand, many people argue that euthanasia is morally wrong. Overall, euthanasia is not beneficial to anyone, and the practice should be stopped for good.…
Public policies that prohibit euthanasia violate the principle of moral autonomy of individuals because as long as an individual has a…