Does a person really have the right to die? Physician Assisted Suicide, also called assisted death, is a widely debated topic in the United States and many other countries. It is an option for the terminally ill or patients who are losing motor functions, including the ability to speak or breathe on their own, but it is not widely offered in the United States, with only two states fully allowing the practice.
While some may call assisted suicide euthanasia, they are both quite different from each other. Assisted death puts the ability to end the life into the hands of the person who is requesting it, while euthanasia is a third party method that does not allow for the patient to decide for themselves. Assisted death allows for the patient to receive the means to end their life, but they have the choice if they decide to follow through with it. With assisted suicide, the preferred method is a pill that allows the patient to pass away peacefully by their own hand. This means that up until the final moments before they take the pill, they have the complete right to choose. Just as if the patient has a “Do Not Resuscitate” order in place, …show more content…
Organizations such as Second Thoughts have been created to show their strong opposition to the procedure. The group has made many statements regarding assisted death, such as a testimony to the Senate of New Jersey by Kate Ryan, an advocate for the group, stating, “When physician-assisted suicide is presented to a person with a disability, they are not just making a simple choice to live or to die. They are also being pressured by society, by their family and friends, and by medical providers, to admit that their life is not worth living.” (Ryan 2014). Many supporters of the group have also cited incidents where they were actually offered PAS because of their
While some may call assisted suicide euthanasia, they are both quite different from each other. Assisted death puts the ability to end the life into the hands of the person who is requesting it, while euthanasia is a third party method that does not allow for the patient to decide for themselves. Assisted death allows for the patient to receive the means to end their life, but they have the choice if they decide to follow through with it. With assisted suicide, the preferred method is a pill that allows the patient to pass away peacefully by their own hand. This means that up until the final moments before they take the pill, they have the complete right to choose. Just as if the patient has a “Do Not Resuscitate” order in place, …show more content…
Organizations such as Second Thoughts have been created to show their strong opposition to the procedure. The group has made many statements regarding assisted death, such as a testimony to the Senate of New Jersey by Kate Ryan, an advocate for the group, stating, “When physician-assisted suicide is presented to a person with a disability, they are not just making a simple choice to live or to die. They are also being pressured by society, by their family and friends, and by medical providers, to admit that their life is not worth living.” (Ryan 2014). Many supporters of the group have also cited incidents where they were actually offered PAS because of their