Physician Assisted Suicide and The Right to Die

Physician Assisted Suicide and the Right to Die

Even though Physician assisted suicide has been a widespread debate for many years, and a mutual agreement has not been reached among the general public. This process is defined as "when a physician provides either equipment or medication, or informs the patient of the most efficacious use of already available means, for the purpose of assisting the patient to end his or her own life" (K.A. Dyer MD, 2006). There is no question that we all are going to die. The question is whether we ought to have the legal right to choose how we will die, when the time comes, or should the government make that choice for us?

In July of 2011, 55% of respondents to a survey of American citizens said that they were in favor of physician assisted suicide as an option for terminally ill patients.

Church of Euthanasia. About Death and Dying. About...

English: Dr. Jack Kevorkian, best known for his ad...

English: Dr. Kevorkian, known advocate for assiste...

The survey asked over 6,000 respondents of various age groups and from locations all over the United States, about their opinions. The survey polled citizens from ages 18 to late 80's. The survey was not confined to a specific socioeconomic class, ethnic group, or region of our country. The result was very clear a majority of Americans are not opposed to physician assisted suicide (TruvenHealthAnalytics,2012). This result is not unusual in the modern world. Around the globe polls suggest that people are becoming increasingly supportive of the right to physician assisted suicide, but government laws do not reflect this.

In support of assisted suicide is "that it is usually done to reduce anguish and suffering of the patient" (Andre & Valsquez, 2010). Todays medicine and technology has given us power to save more lives than every before. While most diseases/illnesses are curable...