Since 1997, Oregon was the first to pass the “Death with Dignity Act” that allows “terminally ill and mentally competent adults” (Barone, 2014. p.5) to end their lives through physician-assisted suicide (PAS). PAS is when a “patient takes his or her own life, aided by a physician who typically gives the patient for a prescription for a lethal drug” (Burdette et al, 2005. p.7). Since then physician-assisted suicide has been also legalized in Montana, Washington, New Jersey and Vermont. Physicians have an obligation to reduce pain and suffering from a patient and; therefore, must respect a patient 's decision to end life-sustaining treatment. However, PAS causes great conflict to the physician since going through with physician-assisted suicide
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Buddhists and Hindus believe in reincarnation and death means that there is a shorter amount of time to improve one 's karma and therefore prevents shorten suffering afterlife. Catholics are against suicide, just like Catholics are against abortion, it is not tolerated, and suicide is believed to interfere with God’s plan. Like Catholics, Muslims are also against suicide because they believe that all suffering has its purpose, an example would be to burn off sins. Recent Orthodox and Reformed Jewish stress that prolonging suffering is wrong and therefore do not hold negative or positive statements towards physician-assisted suicide. Although it is not ethical to set aside religious values it is necessary to do so because then suffering/pain will be diminished and the best interest of the patient will be truly looked after. Religion should not be taken into consideration because physician-assisted suicide helps the patient and the physician. The physician is more in favor of proceeding with PAS because it is consensual as opposed to withdrawing from life sustaining treatments by the physician’s own
Buddhists and Hindus believe in reincarnation and death means that there is a shorter amount of time to improve one 's karma and therefore prevents shorten suffering afterlife. Catholics are against suicide, just like Catholics are against abortion, it is not tolerated, and suicide is believed to interfere with God’s plan. Like Catholics, Muslims are also against suicide because they believe that all suffering has its purpose, an example would be to burn off sins. Recent Orthodox and Reformed Jewish stress that prolonging suffering is wrong and therefore do not hold negative or positive statements towards physician-assisted suicide. Although it is not ethical to set aside religious values it is necessary to do so because then suffering/pain will be diminished and the best interest of the patient will be truly looked after. Religion should not be taken into consideration because physician-assisted suicide helps the patient and the physician. The physician is more in favor of proceeding with PAS because it is consensual as opposed to withdrawing from life sustaining treatments by the physician’s own