Advances in medical technology has enabled human beings to live for a longer period of time, therefore they are faced with different diseases and ailments that were not very common a century ago such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. When struck with any of this terminal illness patient are sometimes faced with end of life decisions. End of life decisions have legal and ethical concerns based on patient autonomy, beneficence, and the loss of decision making (Peirce & Smith, 2013). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide has been gaining momentum in the United States and within the European union. For the purpose of this paper Euthanasia is defined as a deliberate intervention with the intention of hastening death, or relieve
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The Hippocratic school which opposed physician assisted suicide gained acceptance during the spread of Christianity and as a result there was an opposition to physician assisted suicide in Europe during the 15th century. (Friend, 2011). Christians believe that life is sacred and one should not take his or her life. Over the next couple of centuries euthanasia and physician assisted suicide was highly debated with proponents stating that citizens had a right to end their life. This debate was resurrected in 1780 by Samuel William who advocated for the use of medicine to cause a patient’s demise (Friend, 2011). This school of thought can be viewed as a slippery slope as some patients may not be able to express their will when faced with a terminal illness. Ohio, in 1906 was the first state in the United States to attempt to pass legislation leading to the legalization of euthanasia. During world war two it was believed that the Nazi used euthanasia to assist with the early demise of mentally ill individuals, who were deemed as not able to contribute to society due to their illnesses and disability (Friend, 2011). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide has always been entwined in the lives of citizens. It is viewed as a way to have a dignified death and to redeem control of an individual’s life. In the United States the Hemlock Society was founded in 1980 by a Briton named Derek Humphry who assisted in the demise of his wife who had cancer (Friend, 2011). The main goal of the Hemlock society which later changed its name to Compassion and Choices is to educate patients on their rights of how to die (Friend,
The Hippocratic school which opposed physician assisted suicide gained acceptance during the spread of Christianity and as a result there was an opposition to physician assisted suicide in Europe during the 15th century. (Friend, 2011). Christians believe that life is sacred and one should not take his or her life. Over the next couple of centuries euthanasia and physician assisted suicide was highly debated with proponents stating that citizens had a right to end their life. This debate was resurrected in 1780 by Samuel William who advocated for the use of medicine to cause a patient’s demise (Friend, 2011). This school of thought can be viewed as a slippery slope as some patients may not be able to express their will when faced with a terminal illness. Ohio, in 1906 was the first state in the United States to attempt to pass legislation leading to the legalization of euthanasia. During world war two it was believed that the Nazi used euthanasia to assist with the early demise of mentally ill individuals, who were deemed as not able to contribute to society due to their illnesses and disability (Friend, 2011). Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide has always been entwined in the lives of citizens. It is viewed as a way to have a dignified death and to redeem control of an individual’s life. In the United States the Hemlock Society was founded in 1980 by a Briton named Derek Humphry who assisted in the demise of his wife who had cancer (Friend, 2011). The main goal of the Hemlock society which later changed its name to Compassion and Choices is to educate patients on their rights of how to die (Friend,