Morality oif Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide
...he well-being of a patient is also important. A patient’s well-being should be a physician’s main concern, and the physician should do everything in his or her power possible to ensure that the patient’s wishes are being granted, he or she is comfortable, and he or she is living the best life possible under the circumstances. As a patient, I know that I would want my physician to show the utmost respect for my autonomy and well-being. If I requested to die and the circumstances were appropriate, I do believe that my wish to undergo PAS or VAE should be granted. Refusal or termination of treatment, or voluntary-passive euthanasia, is legal; physician assisted suicide and voluntary-active euthanasia are not legal. Voluntary-passive euthanasia is permissible merely because instead of killing the patient, the physician “allows the patient to die”. In not proceeding with treatment and administering a lethal injection, a physician’s motive would be the same: to respect the patient’s wishes and end his or her suffering because he or she does not feel that life is worth the pain and agony that one is experiencing. Therefore, since the physician’s intention is the same in either case, there is no moral difference in voluntary-active and voluntary-passive euthanasia. In addition, voluntary-passive euthanasia could be rather timely. A patient could refuse food and water, therefore starving to death, which could take days. Given the option of VAE, a patient could die within minutes. In “Active and Passive Euthanasia”, James Rachels proclaims that in many cases active euthanasia is preferred over passive euthanasia, for the process of allowing one to die can be uncomfortable and slow. Voluntary-active euthanasia is an important option to those suffering a great amount of pain. Oftentimes there are no legal medications available that will curb a patient’s pain. In this case, a patient is left to suffer without VAE as an available option. Some controlled substances may be able to control the pain, but these drugs are illegal. Therefore, a patient in severe pain has no options but to suffer, or to take his or her own life without the aid of a physician. Maybe you have never thought of how you would like to die, but now I am asking you to. When asked to ponder their death, the population would most likely have some common ideas of how they would like to die: without suffering, surrounded by family, of sound mind and body, to name a few thoughts. There is no reason why one would not want a good death, and physician assisted suicide and voluntary active euthanasia would allow patients to obtain a good and easy death. The legalization of these procedures would ensure patients that their death will not be dreadful and slow accompanied by unshakeable pain and suffering. Patients will be able to rest assured that they will be remembered by their loved ones as they would like, they will not lose their dignity, and they will not suffer. As free people, we should be able to govern our death. If we can decide to refuse treatment and die, then can we not decide to receive a lethal injection? I do believe that voluntary-active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should be made legal, but they should only be permitted within certain parameters. First and foremost, the physician should be clearly informed of his or her condition and the possible outcomes of the condition. The physician should try his or her best to cure or slow the condition or illness. Most importantly, the patient should undergo psychiatric evaluation by several physicians to insure that the patient is of sound mind to make competent decisions. The physicians should make sure that the patient’s decision to act (or not act) is not being influenced by family members or others. The decision to die should not be made spontaneously or at first word of one’s condition. A patient should request VAE or PAS multiple times before the physician even considers taking action. I believe that having these options open is a right that we deserve as humans, on the other hand voluntary-active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are not to be taken lightly or performed hastily. There are several arguments opposing voluntary-active euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, but they do not stand up to the supporting arguments. Many people’s disagreement with PAS and VAE are faith-based. For example, Christians believe that death will come when God thinks that it is time for one to die. If someone holds this Christian belief, they do not have to choose the option to undergo PAS...