Is_Assisted_Suicide_Ethically_Justified

Is Assisted Suicide Ethically Justified' Chriss N. Thomas Baker College January 15, 2012 Assisted suicide means that a physician or person provide the means needed for a patient to carry out his or her own suicide. An example of assisted suicide would be if a physician were to give a patient a lethal dose of medication which helps the patient kill him or herself. The cooperation of the physician or person may not necessarily mean they physically helped with the suicide, but morally cooperated because they approved of the suicide. This simply states that the helping individual morally assisted in the killing of an innocent person but did not commit the act of killing. The question is, is the act of assisted suicide justified and the direct killing of the person justified as well' The assisted act is considered justified because it was a moral decision but the direct killing of the person is considered not a justified act because the individual helping did not kill the person wanting to end their life. How can assisted suicide be ethically justified with these two questions at hand' Those for assisted suicide believe that terminally ill people who will die and are in unbearable pain should not be held to continue to endure the pain against their wishes (Fenigsen, 2011). Fenigsen, who is a M.D., PhD of cardiology, also argues that the aging population and the increase in number of individuals in nursing homes and institutions for the chronically ill should be included in the ability to end their own lives. The Alzheimer’s patients are also included in the list of people who should be able to end their lives at their own will with the help of assistance. The choice a terminally ill patient makes should be available to them in the event they no longer want to suffer. According to Dame Jill Macleod Clark, who sits on the Council of Deans of Health, states “those who have cared for terminally ill patients, friends or family know their greatest fears and anxieties are about intractable sufferings, and their desire for a dignified and peaceful death” (2011). When patients who are terminally ill want to hear options the argument has been made that all options are not available because assisted suicide comes with scrutiny and consequences. Stephen Wright, who is the chair of the Sacred Space Foundation, put it best when he stated “the debate about assisted suicide is a slippery slope” (2011). Those who are in favor of a change in the law state there is no evidence that legalizing assisted dying leads to vulnerable people being killed against their wishes (Wright, 2011). But an example of how this did not exactly pan out was in the Netherlands in the 1980’s where it was determined it was legal to let one end one’s own life. With this decision thousands of Dutch patients wanted to have someone help them with assisted suicide requests. The solution is to legalize assisted suicide but this should be done with evidence available such as the situation in the UK. Evidence is also available in Oregon, where terminally ill individuals can legally ask to be prescribed the necessary medication to end their own lives but only in the event that their suffering becomes intolerable (Clark, 2011). The question if assisted suicide is ethically justified would be justified if a law was passed and no one was held accountable for helping a person end their life. References Clark, D. J. M. (2011). The final freedom: Dame Jill Macleod Clark argues that we need to let terminally ill patients choose an assisted death. Nursing Standard, 26(2), 26+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/ps/i.do'id=GALE%7CA269027730&v=2.1&u=lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w The information provided by Clark is considered credible due to the qualifications of being the chair of the Council of Deans of Health. Being a healthcare provider who has had the opportunity to work with terminally ill patients gives a perspective from a professional in the field point of view. This is needed to understand how the doctors and nurses justify assisted suicide. Finally Clark gives the readers a link to the website for which they are a chair of and this site provides a wealth of information for research as well as for a terminally ill patient. Fenigsen, R. (2011, Spring). Other people's lives: reflections on medicine, ethics, and euthanasia. Issues in Law & Medicine, 26(3), 239+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/ps/i.do'id=GALE%7CA253740753&v=2.1&u=lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w Fenigsen credibility begins with the credentials of being a doctor of medicine holding a M.D., PhD and is a retired cardiologist. Fenigsen has published many articles in the Law and Med magazine offering a doctors point of view in the debate on assisted suicide being justified. He cites many sources in his article giving the reader the research needed to analyze the question of assisted suicide being ethically justified. Wright, S. (2011). Life on the precipice: beware the unexpected consequences of legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia. Nursing Standard, 25(36), 26+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/ps/i.do'id=GALE%7CA257433608&v=2.1&u=lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w Wright credibility begins with being the chair of the Sacred Space Foundation. Wright has several sources that were cited in the article and are listed as references for the researcher to use for further research. Although the website for Sacred Space Foundation was not listed it was easy to find the website with a simple search where more information was available for research and for those looking for a peaceful way to live with the pain or illness they have.