...Legalization of Euthanasia in the United States Euthanasia is a method that produces rapid unconsciousness and subsequent death without evidence of pain or distress. “It is only legal in Oregon, Washington, Montana making it illegal in forty seven states” (Marker 26-29). It is a controversial topic that is discussed among many Americans. It has many people of different genders, races, and religions in uproar, due to the wide range of opinions one may hold towards the topic. Some feel that it is their own right to choose to die or survive, and others feel that the practice of euthanasia is a type of suicide and also murder. With the legalization of euthanasia, it would significantly cut the cost of economic burdens on the families and society; secondly it brings closure to unnecessary increasing suffering; and it’s the patients right if face with life threatening injuries and terminal illness. Euthanasia would significantly cut the cost of health care. America has serious health care problems and end of life care is incredibly expensive due to the frequency of hospitalizations, the increased need for specialists’ attention, etc. Those with terminal illnesses have even more expensive health care needs. Obviously, those in the final stages of a terminal illness are no longer in any position to contribute economically to society. From a family standpoint the lives’ of the patient may be meaningful, however from an economic standpoint they are all cost and no benefit. Along...
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...Euthanasia is a unique practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal disease/illness or an incurable condition by means of the suspension of extraordinary medical treatment or lethal injection. The history of this penomena dates back for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1906 when the first bill to legalize euthanasia in America was introduced in the Ohio legislature. For several years, legislatures have been turning down bills aimed at the legalization of euthanasia in the United States. In 1937, the Nebraska legislature voted down a bill legalizing voluntary active euthanasia in the U.S. Only two years later, the New York legislature rejected a bill that was also aimed at the legalization of euthanasia in the United States. “In 1991 the Washington State Initiative Bill legalizing voluntary euthanasia was narrowly defeated.” (6) In 1994, Oregon passed a law to allow doctors to prescribe lethal drugs, but an injunction prevented it from taking effect. As of today, euthanasia is illegal in almost every country. In fact, it is only legal in the state of Oregon and the Netherlands. These are the only two places in the world where laws specifically permit euthanasia or assisted suicide. Oregon permits assisted suicide while the Netherlands permits both euthanasia and assisted suicide. In 1995, Australia’s northern territory approved a euthanasia bill which went into effect in 1996, but it was overturned by the Australian Parliament in 1997. “Also, in 1997...
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...Despite so, there are still groups of people who are apprehensive about legalizing euthanasia as they are worried that it may have negative implications. The article gives a detailed description of the requirements that must be met before a person is allowed to go through with assisted suicide. It also uses data to prove that safety measures put in place are being followed and there is barely any abuse of the law in places that legalize assisted suicide. Although voluntary euthanasia is still considered as murder, many doctors in Europe give patients or their family the choice of proceeding with treatment or undergoing passive euthanasia. The article also talks about the possible reasons why people opt for assisted suicide, including loss of independence, dignity, and more. The use of statistics shows that substantial research has been done by the author to prove his point, confirming it is a good source to support the legalization of assisted suicide. As “The Economist” is a reputable magazine, this source is credible and is unlikely to publish articles without prior research. Cassity, S. A. (2009). To Die or Not To Die: The History and Future of Assisted Suicide Laws in the U.S. Utah Law Review, 2009 (2), 515-523. The journal looks into the history of laws related to assisted suicide and its possible future in the United States. It makes a clear distinction between assisted suicide and euthanasia by explaining the methods used in each type to end the life of another. It also...
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...Ruben Salcedo Professor Palmer English 112 10/5/15 Legalization of Euthanasia Euthanasia is a topic that has been debated by many over the years. Although Euthanasia is presently illegal in the United States, physician assisted death, or PAD is legal in the states of Washington, Oregon, Vermont and Bernalillo County, New Mexico. To understand Euthanasia, one must understand the way it differs from PAD. The key distinction between the two is that euthanasia requires either a physician or third party to administer the drugs, while in physician assisted death, the drug is administered directly by the individual. The debate over euthanasia dates back to the Greeks and Romans, but it reached the United States in 1870 when Samuel Williams proposed using morphine and anesthetics to intentionally end an individual's life. Debates continued for another 35 years when Ohio attempted to pass a bill which would legalize euthanasia in 1906. While the bill was never passed, it was the first of its kind, and laid the foundation for bills to come (Humphrys). There are many arguments as to why Euthanasia should remain illegal in the United States. Many individuals argue that it fits the definition of murder, and “For present purposes, murder can be defined as the intentional unjustified, unexcused and legally unmitigated killing of another human being. Active euthanasia fits this definition on the basis that it is the, or a cause of, death” (Lanham 2)...
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...What is voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide? Voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are similar. Forms of assisted suicide involve the guidance and supervision of a licensed physician. There is a difference between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicides’ preparation is when, “A doctor’s helping their distressed patient to commit suicide at the patient’s autonomous appeal” (Varelius, 2013). Euthanasia, on the other hand, “consists of administering lethal medication to the patient,” by the licensed physician (Varelius, 2013). There are countless numbers of questions and concerns about an individual’s quality of life. Under no circumstances, suicide is never the ideal way for an individual to die. However, if physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia were legal and regulated in all states, then the United States Constitution may salvage lives by giving people the right to elect how they wish to die. This is a matter of legal issues, moral issues, and...
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...Euthanasia: The Peaceful Death Euthanasia is a very controversial topic throughout the United States; even though the word euthanasia means the “good death” many people oppose this option. There are different types of euthanasia: active, passive, and involuntary. Active is the most debated because it involves intentionally injecting the patient with a lethal substance in order to take their life whereas passive euthanasia is denying means of artificial life and letting nature take its course. The biggest argument with passive euthanasia is the idea that patients who are brain dead have the chance of being revived, but this is seldom achieved. Involuntary is using euthanasia against the patient’s wishes which should be the only form of euthanasia that could be considered murder. Activists debate whether taking someone’s life is right or wrong based on religious concerns or health care practices and many voice a strong opinion. Although Oregon is the only state in America with legal practices of euthanasia, assisted suicide is carried out behind the scenes in other states as well. Many pro-life activists are against the practice of taking a life because they believe it is murder, but helping someone be at peace is virtuous. Euthanasia should be legalized for the sake of the patient, the sake of the physicians in the United States, and because euthanasia cannot be considered murder given that it is the patients’ choice. One major reason euthanasia should be legalized is...
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...over the controversial topic of medical euthanasia.“Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of a person, usually in an attempt to end the person’s suffering” (Ondrey, James H., ed 7). Euthanasia, known as the right-to-die movement, derives from the Greek meaning of “good death”. Euthanasia is executed by a physician, while physician assisted suicide allows the patient to proceed the act of death (Ondrey 7-8). Legalization of euthanizing patients has been an ongoing discussion dating back to the beginning of the 20th century (Yount 25). Opposing views find total fault in this medical concept, while supporters see every possible benefit (Ondrey, James H., ed 8). Medical euthanasia, also known...
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...end-of-life health care. Physician-assisted suicide is prominent among the issues that define our professional norms and codes of ethics. The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) does not support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide. The routine practice of physician-assisted suicide raises serious ethical and other concerns. Legalization would undermine the patient-physician relationship and the trust necessary to sustain it; alter the medical profession's role in society; and endanger the value our society places on life, especially on the lives of disabled, incompetent, and vulnerable individuals. The word ‘euthanasia’ is derived from the Greek work for ‘good death’ and originally referred to intentional mercy killing. Applied to our society, euthanasia is the merciful ending of life to release a person from unendurable pain and suffering, a terminal disease, or an undignified death. The act of euthanasia can be active or passive as well as voluntary or involuntary. An example of active euthanasia is when a doctor gives a patient a lethal dose of medicine. Passive euthanasia is when measures to prevent death are not taken, like declining life support. Voluntary euthanasia is when a person asks directly to...
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...Euthanasia, also referred to as assisted suicide, is the deliberate action taken with the intention of ending a life, in order to relieve a patient’s persistent suffering. Euthanasia is a highly debated topic in the United States and in other countries; starting in the early 1800s when states were fighting both for and against the use of assisted suicide. Euthanasia works to end the suffering of a person with a quick, dignified, and compassionate death, and has the capability to do this because it is protected as a right by the same constitutional safeguards that guarantees the rights of marriage, procreation, and the refusal or termination of life saving medical treatment. It is far less costly to medical programs and institutions to give...
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...Euthanasia is a word coined from the Greek language, Eu meaning good or noble; Thanatos meaning death, in the seventeenth century by Francis Bacon to refer to an easy, painless, happy death. (Singer) Within euthanasia, there are two types. Active and passive. Active euthanasia occurs when a medical professional or another person deliberately does something to cause the death of a patient. Passive euthanasia occurs when a medical professional either stops doing something that is keeping a patient alive or they don’t do something necessary to keep a patient alive. Like switching off life support or disconnecting a feeding tube. A term that is commonly confused, but is similar to euthanasia, is physician assisted suicide. Although the results and reasoning’s behind each type of death is the same, they differ in the way that the death is administered. In euthanasia, the physician performs the intervention. Usually with a lethal dose of a powerful drug such as morphine or Pentobarbital. During physician assisted suicide, the drug, and means of delivery, are given to the patient by the physician. However, the patient accomplishes the act of injection. Leading to his or her own death (A General History Of Euthanasia) The first time euthanasia was reported on record was around 400BC by Suetonius, a Roman historian, while describing the death of Augustus Caesar. Although the actions of an easy, painless death have been used on hopeless patients since ancient times, these acts have been...
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...Is there a fine line between killing someone intentionally, or not doing anything and letting victims die? What’s the real moral code? The legalization of euthanasia is a very controversial topic. It’s a topic that opinionated between many different religions and moral beliefs’ throughout the world on it. Personally, I do believe in the method of passive euthanasia, but I am against active euthanasia. The different between active and passive euthanasia is a very thin line. Active euthanasia is a method that medical personnel use to do kill someone on purpose that basis the patient to die (BBC, 2014). Passive euthanasia happens when patients die due to the fact that medical personnel don't do anything required to keep their patient alive or when they stop doing something that is keeping the patient alive any longer(BBC, 2014)....
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...PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE: LEGALITY AND MORALITY Wednesday - May 8th, 2002 By Martin Levin, 107 Irving Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617)-497-6828 mlevin@levinlaw.com On Sunday, June 21, 1992, Jennifer Cowart, age thirty-two, and her brother George Kowalski, age twenty-eight, traveled to Pensacola Beach, Florida, for a day of relaxation. At the end of the day, Jennifer and George were heading back to their vehicle when Jennifer noticed a go-kart track. The two entered the track, bought tickets, and began riding. Within one minute, Jennifer’s go-kart bumped into one of the side guardrails, flipped on its side, and burst into flames. Jennifer was seat-belted in the go-kart and could not get out. George tried to run into the fire to save his sister, but the flames were too intense. Bystanders attempted to use a fire extinguisher, but it did little to lessen the inferno. Jennifer was trapped in the burning go-kart for two minutes when her seat-belt finally burned through and she fell to the ground. George grabbed his sister and pulled her away from the fire. Jennifer was alive. She was lying on the asphalt alert, oriented, and coherent. She had suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns covering ninety-five percent of her body. She was suffering the worst pain imaginable. At the scene, Jennifer begged the rescue personnel to “let me die.” Instead, Jennifer was flown to a burn center in Mobile, Alabama, where she remained for one year until she was overcome by an infection...
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...Effects of Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia on Participating Physicians Kenneth R. Stevens, Jr., M.D., FACR* Abstract: This is a review and evaluation of medical and public literature regarding the reported emotional and psychological effects of participation in physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and euthanasia on the involved physicians. Materials and Methods: Articles in medical journals, legislative investigations and the public press were obtained and reviewed to determine what has been reported regarding the effects on physicians who have been personally involved in PAS and euthanasia. Results and Discussion: The physician is centrally involved in PAS and euthanasia, and the emotional and psychological effects on the participating physician can be substantial. The shift away from the fundamental values of medicine to heal and promote human wholeness can have significant effects on many participating physicians. Doctors describe being profoundly adversely affected, being shocked by the suddenness of the death, being caught up in the patient’s drive for assisted suicide, having a sense of powerlessness, and feeling isolated. There is evidence of pressure on and intimidation of doctors by some patients to assist in suicide. The effect of countertransference in the doctor-patient relationship may influence physician involvement in PAS and euthanasia. Conclusion: Many doctors who have participated in euthanasia and/or PAS are adversely affected emotionally...
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...“Murder,” “Self-Deliverance,” “Euthanasia,” “Assisted Suicide” – whatever name people refer to it as, one thing is very certain: it is one of the most passionately debated issues confronting people today. People are generally either for the legalization of physician assisted suicide under very specific conditions or against any form of it altogether. Both sides of the debates present arguments that take into consideration the oral, medical, and ethical implications of their decisions. In the United States, it is not a crime to take one’s own life. But the question is: is there a point when it should be legal for a physician to assist someone in taking their life? Physician Assisted suicide should be a legal option for terminally ill patients....
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...United Church of Christ: The Church affirms individual freedom and responsibility. It has not asserted that hastened dying is the Christian position, but the right to choose is a legitimate Christian decision. Mainline and Liberal Christian denominations: Pro-choice statements have been made by the United Church of Christ, and the Methodist Church on the US West coast. The 'Episcopalian (Anglican) Unitarian, Methodist, Presbyterian and Quaker movements are amongst the most liberal, allowing at least individual decision making in cases of active euthanasia The BBC wrote in an Aug. 3, 2009 online article titled "Religion & Ethics - Christianity: Euthanasia - the Christian View" on www.bbc.co.uk: "Christians are mostly against euthanasia. The arguments are usually based on the beliefs that life is given by God, and that human beings are made in God's image. Some churches also emphasise the importance of not interfering with the natural process of death... Christians believe that the intrinsic dignity and value of human lives means that the value of each human life is identical. They don't think that human dignity and value are measured by mobility, intelligence, or any achievements in life. Valuing human beings as equal just because they are human beings has clear implications for thinking about euthanasia: • patients in a persistent vegetative state, although seriously damaged, remain living human beings, and so their intrinsic value remains the same as anyone...
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