TuckerSessionNiesonSkinner1

JenaveveTucker,MadelinSession,KellieNieson,SamSkinner
Mrs.Wolverton
English1010
January8,2016
Euthanasia,WhyorWhyNot?
Throughoutthepastdecadepeoplehavearguedbothforandagainsteuthanasia,or
physicianassistedsuicide,althoughithasbeenamethodusedthroughouthistory.Whenallother
optionshavefailedandtheonlyoneremainingisdeath,whogetstomakethatchoice?Many
believeitisinGodshands.Somebelievetheterminallyillshouldstayaroundfortheirloved
onessake.Othersbelieveitistheterminallyillpatientschoicewhenandhowtodie.Isitthe
familyschoiceorisitultimatelytheonesufferingwhogetstochoose?Shouldweleaveitin
GodshandsorhasHealreadymadethechoice?Ifthereisnolightattheendofthetunnel,ifno
otheroptionspresentthemselves,whymakethedyingsuffer?Webelievethatthegovernment
shouldlegalizeeuthanasiasothatthedyingcanendtheirsufferingiftheysochoose.

IntheTimeMagazinearticletitledAssistedSuicide,KatePickertdemonstratesthatthe

debateoneuthanasiahasbeencontinuingformillennia,startinginthefourthcentury,B.C.with
Hippocrates.HecreatedwhatisknownastheHippocraticOath,whichincludesthestatement:I
willnotgivealethaldrugtoanyoneifIamasked,norwillIadvisesuchaplan(Pickert1),
thoughmanydoctorsdisobeyedthisoathbelievingitwasinthepatient'sbestinterest.They
believedthatitwasdoingthepatientlessharmthanwouldbedoneiftheyforcedthemtolivein
agony.Thedebateoverapersonsrighttoliveordiehasbeenanissueeversince.Thereare


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multipleinstancesofpeopletravelingtoforeignnationsinordertocommitsuicideduetosome
terminalillnesses,andotherswhohavebeenimprisonedforassistinginthesesuicides.
IntheUnitedStates,thedecisiontoallowassistedsuicideisuptothestates.Oregons
DeathwithDignitylawshavealloweddoctorassistedsuicidesthroughlethaldosesof
medication.Thisisonlyallowedifthepatientisgoingtodieandhasnorealhopeforsurvival.
Theydontjustallowmurderorsuicidetohappenassomefear.Thesepeoplethatareallowedto
diethankstotheDeathwithDignitylawsarelivingalifeoftorture,waitingeverydayfor
deathtofinallyclaimthem.LikeOregon,thestateofWashingtonpassedasimilarlaw,butit
onlyappliestopatientswithsixmonthsorfewertolive(Pickert2).Slowlyotherstatesand
countrieshavestartedtoallowEuthanasiaLaws.
InherarticletitledJackKevorkian,AmericanPhysician,EllenBernsteinwritesabout
oneofthemostfamousadvocatesofassistedsuicide,JackKevorkian.AlsoknownasDoctor
Death.Kevorkianassistedinthedeathsofover100terminallyillpatients,andwasoneofthe
leadingadvocatesintheeuthanasiadebateuntilhisdeathinJuneof2011.Afterbeingshown
deliveringalethalinjectiontoapatientwithLouGherigsDisease,alsoknownas
AmyotrophicLateralSclerosis,onthenewsprogram
60Minutes,
Kevorkianwaschargedwith
murderinthefirstdegree,andsentencedto1025yearsinprison(Bernstein).Thisafter
releasingsomeonefromthesufferingofexcruciatingpainandlosingtheabilitytocontrolhis
ownbody.

Despitemanybelievingitiswrongtobeeuthanized,therearemanyargumentsfor

physicianassistedsuicideoreuthanasia.ThefirstofwhichisoutlinedbyNicoleSmithinher
articleArgumentinFavorofEuthanasiaorPhysicianAssistedSuicide,publishedonApril14,


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2015.Sheassertsthat,theyknowthatdeathisimminentandtheyoftenarereasonablycertain
thatuntilthatmomentcomes,theremainderoftheirtimewillbespentinpainandputtingtheir
familiesthroughpainaswell(1).Thesepeopleknowthattheyaregoingtodie,andtheyknow
thatitisgoingtobeextremelypainfulaswell.Theydontwanttohavetosufferthroughthat
pain,andtheydontwanttomaketheirfamiliessufferthroughseeingthemgothroughpainday
afterdayuntiltheirbodiesfinallygiveoutfromthestrainthediseaseisputtingonthem.Itsfor
thesereasonsthatoveronefourthofoncologypatientsconsideredeuthanasia,andwhy12%
haveactuallydiscusseditwithadoctoraccordingtoE.J.Emanuelsarticleonphysicianassisted
suicidepublishedin
Lancet
.

Smithalsoarguesthat,IntheUnitedStates,weprideourselvesonthewiderangeof

freedomsthatimpactourdailylivestherighttospeakfreely,tolivewithoutthreats,topursue
ourownhappinessbutwhatishappinessforsomeonewithaterminalconditionwhoisbeing
forcedtolivethroughthepainbecausethesamegovernmentthatallowsotherfreedomsdenies
thisone?(Smith2).Thesepeoplehavebeentoldthroughouttheirlivesthattheyhavetheright
tolivewithoutfear,shouldnttheyhavethesamerightindeathaswell?Thesepeopleareliving
withimmensepain,andthefearofhavingdeathconstantlyloomingoverthem.Theyhavethe
faiththattheywillbehappierwhentheyarefreeofthepain,suffering,andfearthattheirdisease
iscausingthem.Eveniftheydontbelieveinanysortofparticularafterlifetheyjustwantthe
righttobefreeofthemiserythatisaconstantreminderoftheirfate.Smithmakestheargument
thattheyshouldhavetheconstitutionalrighttomakethechoiceofeitheraneverendingpainor
apeacefuldeathforthemselves.


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WeinterviewedJulieTuckeraboutherexperiencewitheuthanasia.Sherecountedthe

taleofherfatherafterhewasdiagnosedwithLouGehrigsdisease.Sheexplainedtousexactly
whatthediseasewasandhowitwouldprogress.Thebodystartstoshutdown.Controlofthe
musclesislost.Everymovementislikesharpknivespiercingthebody.Shetoldtellusthat,It
wasthemostpainfuleighteenmonthsIhaveeverexperiencedinmylife(Tucker).She
followedthatwithexplaininghowhissymptomsprogressedinthemonthsfollowinghis
diagnosis,andhowduringhisstrugglewithLouGehrigshewasinsomuchpain,buthowhe
wouldneverhaveconsideredphysicianassistedsuicide.Thisallbecauseitwasntsociallyor
religiouslyaccepted.Wethenaskedherwhatherownviewsoneuthanasiawereandshe
explainedtousthatshethoughtitwasapersonalchoicetogooutwithdignityornot(Tucker).
Sheproceededtosay,Iamnotagainstit.Ithinkeachindividualcanchooseforhimself.Itsnot
myrighttoeithercontrolyouoreuthanizeanother.HoweverIguessthatattheverycoreI
believeinit.Whyisitwrongtotakeyourlifebyyourownhandwhenyouknowyouregoingto
dieamiserabledeath?(Tucker).Sheexplainedhowshebelievesthatwhenherfatherchoseto
notgotoahospitalitwasaformofreligiouslyacceptableeuthanasia.Tuckerdisclosesthatshe
wassomewhatconfusedbyhowthatcouldbereligiouslyacceptable,butthesameperson
choosingtoendtheirlifetoescapemonthsofsufferingwouldnotbe..

ThearticleCancerPatientBrittanyMaynardEndingMyLifeMyWaywaswrittenby

NicoleWeisenseeEgan,publishedinthe
PeopleMagazine
onOctober27,2014.Inthisarticle
Brittanydiscussesherchoicetoendherownlifeduetoterminalillness.Maynardisdiagnosed
withglioblastomaatage29.Shehassixmonthslefttolivehoweverthosemonthswouldbe
spentinagony.Insteadofwakingupeverydaytoseizures,headaches,ornausea,shewantsto


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endhersuffering.HavingnootherlifesavingoptionsMaynardchoosestosufferlessandtoput
herselfandherfamilythoughlesspain,asobservedbyEganduringaninterview.Eganquotes
Maynard,togowithdignityislessterrifyingasMaynardreferstoherdecisionofeuthanasia,
orDeathwithDignityastheycallitinOregon.EganAssertsthatOregonwasthefirststateto
passarighttodielaw,butisnolongertheonlystatewithsuchlaws.

LikewithTuckersexperience,thearticleIThinkAboutHerEveryDaywrittenby

NicoleWeisenseeEganonJanuary26,2014,showshowthesufferingofalovedoneaffects
thosearoundthem.BrittanyMaynardshusband,DanDiaz,recallshisemotionsduringthe
monthsthatfollowMaynardsdeath.EganrelatesthatDiazisastoic,privatemanwhoisstill
fiercelyprotectiveofhiswifeandisnowtakinguphercause,justtwoandahalfmonthslater.
EveryoneinvolvedknewdeathwasMaynardsonlyoptionhowever,itwasherchoicewhether
shediedaftermonthsoftorture,orifshediedpeacefullybyherchoosing.Diazbackedhis
wifesdecision,despitehimnotwantinghertodie,becausehedidntwanthiswifetosufferfor
noreasonEgandiscloses.Diaznowwantsothers,insimilarsituations,tohavethesamechoice.
Eventhoughheisnowgrievinghewouldnothavewishedmoresufferingonhislovedone.
Now,withstilllingeringmemories,Diazchoosestosmile.
Euthanasiaisaveryconflictingtopic.Manypeopleagreewithit,butevenmorepeople
arguesayingthatitiswrong.MaritKarlssondidasurveyandcameupwiththesefourmain
issuespeoplehavewitheuthanasia.Oneissueisthatitsmorallywrong,meaningthatitiswrong
foranotherhumantodecidesomeoneelsesdeath.Thesecondreasonissurveyor'ssaythatitis
dangerousandthatthereisapotentialtoabusethepowertokillsomeone,orwithsuchhigh
medicalcostpatientsmightbepersuadedtotaketheeasywayoutinsteadofpossiblysticking


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outtheirsickness.Three,itcouldputaguiltstrainonthedoctorsperformingthetask.Doctors
mightnotbeabletohandlethestressortheymaygooverboardwithitandtrykillingeveryone.
Lastly,thereareargumentssayingthatitmightnotbethepatient'struewish,thatthepersons
choicetodiemaybeinfluencedbycurrentsituationsorsocietiesstandards.Otherswhooppose
therightofeuthanasiasaythattoembracetherighttodeathforthosewithincurableillnesses
wouldbetodisposeofourcivilizedsociety.
Anotherresponsetoeuthanasia,byStephanDrake,isdoctorsbackinthe1980swould
withholdlifesavingtreatmentfromchildrenwithdisabilitiessowhoistosaythatnow,if
euthanasiawaslegalized,thereisntapotentialthatwewouldjustkilltheminsteadoffindinga
waytosavetheirlives.Andwithacostofonlyaboutthirtyfivetofortyfivedollars,insteadof
costlytreatmentwecouldcurethepatientswithdeath,sodoctorsmaynolongerlookfor
treatments.Insteaddoctorswouldalmostencouragethemtodie.Alsolegalizingeuthanasia
wouldbelikelegalizingmurder.Eventuallyeuthanasiacouldmoveintoprisons,insteadof
servingtheirtimethegovernmentcouldsavemoneybykillingthemwhichwouldmeantheyget
nopossiblesecondchanceatlife.Dowereallywantthis,allthismurderandfreewillkilling?
Therearesomanybadwayseuthanasiacouldaffectourworld.
AnotherargumentagainstphysicianassistedsuicideisoutlinedbyRyanT.Andersonin
hisarticleentitledPhysicianAssistedSuicideCorruptsthePracticeofMedicine,publishedon
April20,2015.Andersonarguesthat,Physicianassistedsuicidewillcreateperverseincentives
forinsuranceprovidersandthefinancingofhealthcare.Assistinginsuicidewilloftenbeamore
costeffectivemeasurefromtheperspectiveofthebottomlinethanisactuallycaringfor
patients(Anderson4).Whenlawslikethisareputontothebooksinsurancecompaniesare


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boundtotakeadvantageofthem.Theirbottomlineissimplytotryandsavethemselvesmoney,
andhasnothingtodowiththewellbeingofthepatient.Soinasituationwhereapatientis
offeredbothtreatmentandtheoptionofphysicianassistedsuicideitisarguedthattheinsurance
companywillchoosetofundthedrugsforphysicianassistedsuicideratherthanthetreatment
sincethephysicianassistedsuicidedrugswouldbesomuchcheaperthanthetreatmentforthe
disease.Andersonthenassertsthatthiscouldthenleadtoaslipperyslopeofmoneybeingmore
highlyvaluedthanapersonsownlife.Thereisthefearthatpeoplewouldchoosethisfortheir
lovedones,orthemselves,simplybecausethecostofeuthanasiaissomuchcheaperthanthe
costoftreatmentinmostcases.Orthatpeoplewouldchoosetocommitphysicianassisted
suicidebecausetheybelievethattheyareaburdenontheirfamiliesbothemotionallyand
financially,eveniftheyarenotreallydeathlyilljustelderly.
Soiseuthanasiareallyok?Eventhoughsomeofthesesituationsseemdire,inrealitythey
arenot.Euthanasiacanbeextremelybeneficial.Dyingpatientscanchoosetodonateorgansafter
theygeteuthanized.Itmaytakeoffstressfrom,notonlythepatient,butfromthefamilyor
caretakersoftheillpatient.Thepatienthastoaskforeuthanasiaorgiveconsentforittobe
done.Thispreventsdoctorsfromabusingthepowerthiswouldgivethem.Theywouldntjustbe
abletomurderpatientsassomefear.Norwouldthatbetheirgoal.Mostimportantly,
euthanasiaisonlyusedonthosealreadygoingtodie.Whatpeopleseemtoforgetisthat
euthanasiaisforthosepatientsthatareterminallyill,thismeanstheyaregoingtodie.They
arentbeingcoercedintodeath,thatisalreadytheirdirection.Whetherthedoctoragreeswithit
ornotthepatientcanstillrefusetohavetreatment,thereforecommittingthemselvestodeath
anyways.Letthedoctorsdotheirjobsandrelievetheirpatientsofpain.


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Withsomanyconflictingopinionsoneuthanasiaitishardtodeterminewhattheright

courseofactionis.However,becausesomanypeopledisagreeitisbesttoletthedecisionbe
madebytheindividualsaffectedbyterminalillness.Thismeansthatalawallowingeuthanasia
mustbepassed.Thereisfearthatthiswillraisethenumberofdeaths,butwhenthepatientis
alreadydyingthedeathratereallyjuststaysthesame.Peoplefearthatterminallyillpatientswill
becoercedintochoosingeuthanasia,butthetruthisthatiftheyreinthatmuchpain,moreoften
thannotthereasonthetheydontchooseeuthanasiaisbecauseoftheirfamilies,society,or
religion.Ifyouarewantingtostopsufferingasopposedtoincreaseit,allowthedeathbound
patientstomakethechoiceonwhenandhowtodie.


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WorksCited
Anderson,RyanT.PhysicianAssistedSuicideCorruptsThePracticeofMedicine.

heritage.org
.N.p.,20April2015.Web.14December2015.
Bernstein,Ellen."JackKevorkian|AmericanPhysician."EncyclopediaBritannicaOnline.

EncyclopediaBritannica,7Aug.2015.Web.4Jan.2016.
Egan,NicoleWeisensee.CancerPatientBrittanyMaynardEndingMyLifeMyWay.
EBSCO.
PeopleMagazine,
27Oct.2014.Web.27Oct.2014.
Egan,NicoleWeisensee.IThinkAboutHerEveryDay.
EBSCO.PeopleMagazine,
26Jan.

2015.Web.26Jan.2015.
Karlsson,Marit.Attitudestowardseuthanasiaamongswedishmedicalstudents.
EBSCO.

PalliativeMedicine,
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Pickert,Kate."AssistedSuicide."TIME3Mar.2009:1,2.Print.
Smith,Nicole.ArgumentinFavorofEuthanasiaorPhysicianAssistedSuicide.
articlemyriad.com
.N.p.,15December2011.Web.15December2015.
StephanDrake.
EndofLifePlanning:Q&AwithDisabilitiesAdvocate,
euthanasia.procon.orgGazetteJournal,
Nov.22,2003.Web.22Nov.2003.
Tucker,Julie.Personalinterview.4Jan2016.