Argument Body
Oregon is currently the only state in which physician assisted suicide is legal. Under the Death with Dignity Act of 1994, a capable adult Oregon resident who has been diagnosed by a physician with a terminal illness that will kill them within six months may request in writing, from his or her physician, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication for the purpose of ending the patient’s life. The request must be confirmed by two witnesses, one of whom cannot be related to the patient, be entitled to any portion of the patient’s estate, be the patient’s physician, or be employed by a health care facility caring for the patient.
After the request is made, another physician must examine the patient’s medical records and confirm the diagnosis. The patient must be determined to not suffer from a mental condition impairing judgment. If the request is authorized, the patient must wait at least fifteen days and make a second oral request before the prescription may be written. The patient has a right to rescind the request at any time. The law specifies a patient’s decision to end his or her life shall not have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy. The law also protects doctors from liability for providing a lethal prescription for a terminally ill, competent adult in compliance with the statue restrictions.
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. are uninsured and thus have limited access to preventive care, emergency care, hospitalization, long-term care, and hospice. Access to care does not, however, ensure optimal management. The U. S. has an extensive system of hospice programs to serve terminally ill persons, provided that they have acceptable insurance coverage, are expected to live 6 months or less, are willing to forgo aggressive care, and have a primary care giver. Patients who have chronic diseases with more uncertain prognoses often do not have access to hospice or similar programs. Access to and delivery of pain treatment and other palliative measures are seriously deficient in the present health care systems in the U.S. Physician under-recognition and under-treatment of pain and depression in dying patients has been repeatedly shown and most physicians have been inadequately trained to provide palliative care.
It is not humane to force a terminally ill patient to suffer unbearable agony because modern medicine cannot cease the pain. If physician assisted suicide was in place, then patients suffering in these situations could be relieved by death in a humane manner. If this is what a competent patient chooses, then his or her right to die ending the pain, suffering, and burden of life should not be denied. To patients with a terminal illness, life is no longer considered a benefit but has now become a burden. Legalizing physician assisted suicide would allow these patients to live in accordance with their own conception of a good life and end their lives with dignity.
After the request is made, another physician must examine the patient’s medical records and confirm the diagnosis. The patient must be determined to not suffer from a mental condition impairing judgment. If the request is authorized, the patient must wait at least fifteen days and make a second oral request before the prescription may be written. The patient has a right to rescind the request at any time. The law specifies a patient’s decision to end his or her life shall not have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy. The law also protects doctors from liability for providing a lethal prescription for a terminally ill, competent adult in compliance with the statue restrictions.
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. are uninsured and thus have limited access to preventive care, emergency care, hospitalization, long-term care, and hospice. Access to care does not, however, ensure optimal management. The U. S. has an extensive system of hospice programs to serve terminally ill persons, provided that they have acceptable insurance coverage, are expected to live 6 months or less, are willing to forgo aggressive care, and have a primary care giver. Patients who have chronic diseases with more uncertain prognoses often do not have access to hospice or similar programs. Access to and delivery of pain treatment and other palliative measures are seriously deficient in the present health care systems in the U.S. Physician under-recognition and under-treatment of pain and depression in dying patients has been repeatedly shown and most physicians have been inadequately trained to provide palliative care.
It is not humane to force a terminally ill patient to suffer unbearable agony because modern medicine cannot cease the pain. If physician assisted suicide was in place, then patients suffering in these situations could be relieved by death in a humane manner. If this is what a competent patient chooses, then his or her right to die ending the pain, suffering, and burden of life should not be denied. To patients with a terminal illness, life is no longer considered a benefit but has now become a burden. Legalizing physician assisted suicide would allow these patients to live in accordance with their own conception of a good life and end their lives with dignity.
Mar 19, 2009
I agree with you guys 100%. While my aunt lied in her hospital bed she kept telling me to tell the doctor to end or even if i could. She did not want everyone to remember her as a sick invalid stuck in a bed she wanted to be remembered for her laugh and smile and all the times she played with us kids! Since Pennsylvania does not allow for physician's to assist in suicide her wishes were not carried out and she laid in pain for 2 months after she and I had this conversation. She then died January 4, 2008. That was the most difficult time of my life and I placed blame where there shouldn't have been. You guys did such a good job with this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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