PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE (PAS).   Term Paper ID:29375 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines the legal, medical and ethical issues of PAS.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Examines the legal, medical and ethical issues of PAS. Defines key terms and legal status of PAS. Arguments for and against PAS including patient's right to self-determination. Argues that PAS should not be legalized based on logical and scientific research data. Paper Introduction: SHOULD PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE BE LEGAL: A POSITION PAPER Introduction The purpose of this paper is to explore the legal, medical, and ethical issues surrounding physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Based on a comprehensive exploration of all of these issues, an argument is made for the non-legalization of PAS. The paper begins with a brief definition of key terms and a delineation of the legal status of PAS. This is followed by a description of the major arguments that have been put forth in the literature for legalizing PAS. An analysis of these arguments is then presented using both logical and scientific/research data; the analysis is used to argue against PAS. The last section of the paper formulates conclusions based on the analysis and reviewed material. D Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Based on acomprehensive exploration of all This is followed bya description of the major arguments last section of the paper formulatesconclusions based on the euthanasia In both cases the patient asks is said to involve aphysician at least somesituations As to legal status Alpers and Bernard legalize PAS in and then reaffirmed the vote in other states have had their legislatures consider PAS but is no federal constitutional right toPAS but current legal situation The Chicago Tribune see Brandon March reports to punish doctors who prescribe drugs tohelp terminally ethical or even moral There arearguments on them with dignity indeed it the pain and of these psychological burdens with PAS time and circumstances and death are very will not suffice to hasten death their maintain life-support for people who have nochance terminally ill and have a strong desire to end their extent but in secret For example morphine drips ostensibly of thetopic in which patients and It is thecontention here that there are certain scientific as can be considered is the is whether the intense pain suffered by shown time and time again that proper patients are in so much pain is can indeed be controlled their fear ofit seriously ill and thenon-terminally ill there is a strong desire PAS is often rejected see her pain fear and depression atwhich point have the right to choose If If itis the latter then the competency argument fails Indeed competentin their decisions to end their lives by withdrawing from assisting them to die by providing not a scientific one Inaddition no psychometrically validated measures to assess the competencyof a patient The doctoressentially decides if a patient of thephysicians responding were not will be these doctors who will decide doing it and that it is inherently a waste and allow all said actions andbehaviors Is it not still a waste for those require law-making in a freecountry However the argument against logical holes it does not supportthe rejection of PAS brought to bear against physician-assisted suicide As noted by Minkler disabled and the dependent There older and elderly people that will grow at a fastpace the existing literature on PAS it isconcluded Blank K Robison J Prigerson H treatment and assisted deathchoices in depressed older patients issues inphysician-assisted suicide Archives of Internal Medicine Grinfeld M com Meier D E Emmons C A Wallenstein S Quill P Perry M Blum K on factorsaffecting the desire of terminally ill or seriously chronically is to explore the legal medical with a brief definition ofkey terms logical and scientific research data their article on physician-assisted suicide Drickamer Lee andGanzini report thephysician or a family member life It is noted that the line between statute or common law in all states including California Michigan Maine and authors also note that in theU S courts to include a state right law The lawwas challenged by the U S Justice or cannot beaccomplished legally is sometimes not what should be of theterminally ill are in intense pain and to also havemany psychoemotional burdens Thus rightof self-determination when it comes to treatment or alike Competent terminally illpatients are allowed to hasten death by of PAS is that the argument also makes the point that while societyhas a strong resources Moreover the argument is made that people that related to this argument is the additionalargument of the Validity of Arguments in Favor of of each argument's persuasive punch In this to allow them to choose death if theywish The first Palliative Care the association'sresearch and general experience which is substantial points out that in most terminally ill once people are literature for this claim Indeed several dealing with aterminal illness however once the depression and tostate that the compassionate response may not be granting related to the second argument on reason and rationality or are theyinstead making a by simply grantingtheir wish to die Still some courts situations really are NOT thesame In the case of direct actions to ensure death Further associated with anxiety and depression there are point Assisted suicide doesnot give Emmons Wallenstein Quill Morrison and not certain they couldrecognize depression in a patient death within sixmonths The remaining two arguments in favor of grounds very weak People do a lot life of the terminally ill why stop of said action is silly on the face of it the major reasoning supporting PAS Thisapproach that there exists a number of PASsends the message to society that are some lives this notion is theidea that PAS could recreate a duty become the duty to die in order to Bernard L The supreme court addressesphysician-assisted Hospital Psychiatry Blank K Robison J Doherty E Prigerson H practice The Chicago Tribune InternetEdition Document Available www chicagotribune Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Statements and euthanasia in the United States New disabled community Health Education Behavior Mishara B L Seeker Document available http www banned-books com truth-seeker archive SHOULD PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE BE LEGAL A POSITION of these issues an argument is made that have been put forth in theliterature for legalizing PAS analysis and reviewed material Definitions of Key to die however a patient who is euthanisized supplying the patient with whatever assistance he or she needs report that euthanasiais illegal in the There have been several other attempts to legalize none of these has voted to legalize it and over the decision did not address individual that a federal judge will issue a ruling ill patients die Arguments in Favor of PAS It is both sides According to Newman there are severalprimary arguments in is to treat them in a very if sorequested by them A second argument in favor of personal Acompetent person should have right to choose death Further onlyoption is suicide Justice requires that we should allow of recovery and who do not even want it lives A completeprohibition on PAS excessively usedfor pain relief may be a covert form physicians could engage Thus it is arguedthat well as ethicalrealities which these notion that the terminallyill are in horrible pain with many the terminal ill is anecessary consequence and adequatemedication can relieve the intense pain so often improper and inadequatepalliative medication and care As for psycho-emotional burdens decreases and with it their desire to end their psychologicalpain as Blank Robison Prigerson Schwartz Blank Robison Doherty Prigerson Duffy Schwartz this desire will no longer be attitudes toward PASshift depending upon patients' fear and their requestfor PAS could be a varioustreatments Therefore why shouldn't terminally ill patients them with drugs or othermeans rather these doctors to the research showing the instability Moreover professionals often called upon to judge competencyfrequently disagree Grinfeld lives or dies and doctors can makemistakes confident they could predict that a patienthad less than six to assist in a patient'sdeath if they can of medicalresources to maintain life to be legal Obviously not Further if it who wish toremain on earth until PAS is not effective if all on face grounds What does however contribute Fadem Perry Blum Moore and Rogers oneof the is indeed alikelihood that doctors practicing legalized PAS with the baby boomer generation that both research and logical argument Schwartz H I Non-terminally ill Journal of American Geriatrics Brandon K March Judge ponders J Will guidebook assure death with dignity Psychiatric T Morrison R S Cassel C K Moore L Rogers J Ethical dilemmas in ill personsto hasten death Omega Newman E Making thefinal choice andethical issues surrounding physician-assisted suicide PAS and a delineation of the legal status of PAS the analysis isused to argue against PAS The that PAS is not necessarily the same as PAS on the other hand thetwo actions can be subtle and difficult to distinguish in but Oregon which approved a ballotinitiative to Washington however all of these have failed Further at least Supreme Court ruled that there to PAS As tothe most Department who stated it would authorizefederal drug-enforcement agents done ethically Thequestion is Is physician-assisted suicide prolong their suffering is not totreat the only compassionate response is torelive them of the decision to die Decisions about treatment refusal For somepatients treatment refusal costs of keepingpeople alive are very high To interest in preserving life that interest lessens when peopleare are already doing it tosome that the illegality of PAS prevents an open discussion PAS Just how valid are the foregoing arguments supporting PAS regard the first argument that question that can be asked with respect to the foregoingargument beyond measure withthe terminally ill has cases the very reasonthat terminally ill medicated andexperience the fact that the pain studieshave shown that when people are depressed both the terminally anxiety is alleviated these attitudes change and the patient'swish to die but rather alleviating his or which states thatcompetent people should decision rooted in profound fear and or depression have decided that certain patients are patients withdrawing from treatment no doctors ornurses are a legal decision on competency is at the moment really are the patient autonomy It gives the power to the doctor Cassel researchers found one half asking for a lethal dose of medication Yet it PAS involve the fact thatmany are already of things insecret should society therefore validate withthose who wish to die Discussion by its very nature need not only shows that the Pros have of additional concernsthat can be not worth living especially the elderly the to die Given escalating health carecosts and a population of save neededresources Conclusions Based on the analysis of suicide Archives of Family Medicine Duffy J Schwartz H I Life-sustaining com Drickamer M A Lee M A Ganzini L Practical on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide Documentavailable www hospicecare England Journal ofMedicine Minkler M Fadem Synthesis of research and evidence ts m html PAPER Introduction The purpose of this paper forthe non-legalization of PAS The paper begins An analysis of these arguments is thenpresented using both Terms and Legal Status of Physician Assisted Suicide In is put to death by the hands of another commonly inorder to terminate his her own United States while physician-assisted suicide is illegalby PAS often defining itsynonymously with euthanasia in some other states a dozen states haveadopted laws to ban the practice The state constitutions whichcould be interpreted by other in mid-Aprilregarding the legality of Oregon's physician-assisted suicide an unfortunate truth of life that what can support of PAS The first is that many inhumaneway In addition to intense suffering terminally ill patients PAS is that all people have the justice itselfrequires that we treat like cases assisted death forthese patients Still another argument in favor is an unnecessary waste ofmedical resources This limits their personal liberty in addition tosquandering medial of assisted death or euthanasia Newman also notes legalization of PAS would promote open discussion Analysis arguments are ignoring and doing so because saidrealities negate much psychoemotional burdens and it is theonly truly compassionate response of disease According to the InternationalAssociation for Hospice and felt by the terminallyill Indeed the Association the Association notes that in theiryears of care for the to take their lives Andthere is support in the well as strong belief in PAS as a strategy for Mishara Given the foregoing it seems reasonable present The foregoing can be depression level are they indeedmaking a competent decision based cry for help that would be ignored be allowedsimilar recourse Primarily because the two and nurses are merely refraining from actioninstead of taking of attitudes in favor ofPAS The foregoing brings up still another Indeed in a study conducted by Meier months to live One third were recognize depression and predict patient support for the terminally ill These argumentsare simply on logical is a waste ofmedical resources to maintain the their dying breath And finally legalizing an actionto promote discussion it all itdoes is poke holes in some of to theargument against PAS is strongest concerns among the disabled is that acceptance are communicatinghopelessness to millions not compassion Related to the right to die once sociallyacceptable could dictates the completeprohibition of Physician-Assisted Suicide References Alpers A hospitalized patient attitudes Depressed and non-depressed General suicide law Oregonclashes in courtroom with U S over Times Document available www mhsource com International A national survey of physician-assistedsuicide participatory action research A case study fromthe Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized Truth Based on acomprehensive exploration of all This is followed bya description of the major arguments last section of the paper formulatesconclusions based on the euthanasia In both cases the patient asks is said to involve aphysician at least somesituations As to legal status Alpers and Bernard legalize PAS in and then reaffirmed the vote in other states have had their legislatures consider PAS but is no federal constitutional right toPAS but current legal situation The Chicago Tribune see Brandon March reports to punish doctors who prescribe drugs tohelp terminally ethical or even moral There arearguments on them with dignity indeed it the pain and of these psychological burdens with PAS time and circumstances and death are very will not suffice to hasten death their maintain life-support for people who have nochance terminally ill and have a strong desire to end their extent but in secret For example morphine drips ostensibly of thetopic in which patients and It is thecontention here that there are certain scientific as can be considered is the is whether the intense pain suffered by shown time and time again that proper patients are in so much pain is can indeed be controlled their fear ofit seriously ill and thenon-terminally ill there is a strong desire PAS is often rejected see her pain fear and depression atwhich point have the right to choose If If itis the latter then the competency argument fails Indeed competentin their decisions to end their lives by withdrawing from assisting them to die by providing not a scientific one Inaddition no psychometrically validated measures to assess the competencyof a patient The doctoressentially decides if a patient of thephysicians responding were not will be these doctors who will decide doing it and that it is inherently a waste and allow all said actions andbehaviors Is it not still a waste for those require law-making in a freecountry However the argument against logical holes it does not supportthe rejection of PAS brought to bear against physician-assisted suicide As noted by Minkler disabled and the dependent There older and elderly people that will grow at a fastpace the existing literature on PAS it isconcluded Blank K Robison J Prigerson H treatment and assisted deathchoices in depressed older patients issues inphysician-assisted suicide Archives of Internal Medicine Grinfeld M com Meier D E Emmons C A Wallenstein S Quill P Perry M Blum K on factorsaffecting the desire of terminally ill or seriously chronically is to explore the legal medical with a brief definition ofkey terms logical and scientific research data their article on physician-assisted suicide Drickamer Lee andGanzini report thephysician or a family member life It is noted that the line between statute or common law in all states including California Michigan Maine and authors also note that in theU S courts to include a state right law The lawwas challenged by the U S Justice or cannot beaccomplished legally is sometimes not what should be of theterminally ill are in intense pain and to also havemany psychoemotional burdens Thus rightof self-determination when it comes to treatment or alike Competent terminally illpatients are allowed to hasten death by of PAS is that the argument also makes the point that while societyhas a strong resources Moreover the argument is made that people that related to this argument is the additionalargument of the Validity of Arguments in Favor of of each argument's persuasive punch In this to allow them to choose death if theywish The first Palliative Care the association'sresearch and general experience which is substantial points out that in most terminally ill once people are literature for this claim Indeed several dealing with aterminal illness however once the depression and tostate that the compassionate response may not be granting related to the second argument on reason and rationality or are theyinstead making a by simply grantingtheir wish to die Still some courts situations really are NOT thesame In the case of direct actions to ensure death Further associated with anxiety and depression there are point Assisted suicide doesnot give Emmons Wallenstein Quill Morrison and not certain they couldrecognize depression in a patient death within sixmonths The remaining two arguments in favor of grounds very weak People do a lot life of the terminally ill why stop of said action is silly on the face of it the major reasoning supporting PAS Thisapproach that there exists a number of PASsends the message to society that are some lives this notion is theidea that PAS could recreate a duty become the duty to die in order to Bernard L The supreme court addressesphysician-assisted Hospital Psychiatry Blank K Robison J Doherty E Prigerson H practice The Chicago Tribune InternetEdition Document Available www chicagotribune Association for Hospice and Palliative Care Statements and euthanasia in the United States New disabled community Health Education Behavior Mishara B L Seeker Document available http www banned-books com truth-seeker archive If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.