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Abigail Freeman
Professor Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
01 December 201610 November 2016
Assisted Suicide: A Controversial Way Out For the Terminally Ill
In todays society we are faced with many issues such as healthcare issues.These issues
include Obamacare, health quality, and the increasing cost of medicine, such as Obamacare.
Most of these issues include are related to coverage and cost, but anotherone common issue is
physician assisted dying, or as it is more commonly known as assisted suicide. I had begun to
research this topic when my great grandfather became terminally ill and his quality of life rapidly
declined.He had been diagnosed and was suffering from cancer, and Alzheimers disease. This
caused his health and quality of life to rapidly Idecline. I had wondered if there was anything we
could do to better his time left with uslife quality and stop ease his suffering., and Tthat is when I
stumbled upon physician assisted dying. Once I started researching assisted suicide, I found that
the issue was highly controversial and immensely important.
Assisted suicide is tremendouslymajorly important to the terminally ill, but is highly
opposed by most the religious and the conservatives groups. According to Richard L. Worsnop, a
published assisted suicide researcher, the controversy of assisted suicide actually involves
multiple aspects, but three of which are thestand out as the most heavily debated. These three
include forgoing or ceasing artificial life support in the cases of terminal illness; providing a
terminally ill person with the means to end his or her life after the person has requested such

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help; and actively causing a terminally ill persons death (Worsnop). Towards the end of my
initial research there were two major questions that required further exploration. The first
question wasbeing if physician assisted suicide falls under the role of a doctor.was part of a
doctors role. The second question was if there was a potential risk for the practice being abused
and misused.
Before diving into the nitty-gritty aspects of assisted suicide, it is important to briefly
address its history. Richard L. Worsnop, a published assisted suicide researcher, writes that the
issue of legalizing assisted suicide dates back to as early as 1906, when Ohio Legislature
proposed a bill. The bill stated, provided that when a mentally competent adult was terminally
ill or injured, his doctor could ask him in the presence of three witnesses whether he wished to
do. If the answer was yes, three other physicians had to agree that the patients condition was
hopeless (Worsnop). The first state to legalize assisted suicide was Oregon in 1994, with the
Oregon Death With Dignity Act (Lee).Since then, there have been an outstanding amount of
bills, court cases, legalizations, and stories of assisted suicide. Recently, the most popular being
the story of Brittany Maynard and her decision to choose a death with dignity. (EXPAND)
In 2014, at the age of 29 Brittany Maynard, at the age of twenty nine, was diagnosed with
terminal brain cancer. After assessing her diagnosis and the options it left her with, Brittany Her
and her family then made the decision to moved to Oregon., It is one of the six five states that
have legalized the practice of assisted suicide. , after having assessed her diagnosis and the
options it left her with. On November 1st, 2014 Brittany was able to taketook her own life by,
thanks taking to prescription pills, and finally put her suffering had to an ended. She had
achieved her goal of a death with dignity, but not before she worked with Compassion &

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Choices, the largest right to die movement, to help further the assisted suicide movement (The
Brittany Maynard Fund.).
Along with Compassion & Choices, there wasis the right to die organization called the
Hemlock Society founded by Derek Humphry, a former London Sunday Times reporter. Thate
organization was disbanded in 2003 in a California boardroom. According to the Final Exit
history page, the Hemlock Society had been disbanded, it was then renamed End of Life
Choices. A year after getting its new name, it merged with Copassion & Choices.Despite being
disbanded, the Hemlock Societys , but their website and all of its progress still remains.
Hemlock Societys accomplishments are many, but the most important being are that they have
spread the knowledge of assisted suicide, and launched the first model law governing
euthanasia and assisted suicide in America, 1986 (Humphry). Death with Dignitys website
states that this first model law was Californias Death with Dignity Act, which was not passed
until 1992 (Chronology of).
The laws pertaining to assisted suicide are few; because int most places it is considered
illegal. In the U.S. there are only six states that permit assisted suicide. These states are Oregon,
Washington, Montana, Vermont, New Mexico, and California (The Brittany Maynard Fund).
The laws in these states allow for the doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication for the
patient to take, but thetake. The patient must be able to administer take the medication on their
own (ProCon.org). Other countries that have been debating the legalization of assisted suicide
include Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom (Malpas and Owens). The
governments in these countries have seen an increase in the number of cases dealing with
assisted suicide, pushing the movement further. For example, Canadas supreme court has ruled

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prohibiting assisted suicide as unconstitutional in February of 2015 (Malpas and Owens). Not
only is assisted suicide legal in certain U.S states but it is also legal in Switzerland Humphry).
While there are some states in the U.S. that have legalized assisted suicide, at large it still
remains unlawful. This leaves Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland as the
only countries in their entirety to have legalized the practice.
One thing that makes the laws in Switzerland stand out is that it allows foreigners to
receive physician assisted suicide that they could not receive in their own country. Since thatis
law has come to pass, Switzerland has seen an increase in its tourism. Jacque Wilson, a news
reporter for CNN, reported on a study done in Switzerland that showed between 2008 and 2012,
611 tourists came to Switzerland for assisted suicide. The reported study also showed that
over half of these tourists were women, and consisted of an age range anywhere from twentythree 23 to ninety-seven97 (Wilson). Jacque Wilson reports that twelve12 European countries
were surveyed, and most reported to be in favor of legalizing assisted suicide. So, if the citizens
are for it why has there not been more legalization of assisted suicide? It breaks down into two
key points: the role of a doctor and determining who qualifies for assisted suicide.
According to Phillipa J. Malpas and R. Glynn Owens, psychologists in the department of
psychological medicine at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, one major opponent to
assisted suicide is the American Medical Association. They state that it is fundamentally
incompatible with the phyicians role as healer (Maplas and Owens). However, according to
William Breitbart, a researcher cited by Maplas and Owens, the role of a doctor is to provide
care that preserves the human essence, alleviates suffering and to respect a patients choice to
end treatments keeping them alive. If this is the case, than prescribing a patient medication to end

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their suffering is definitely within the role of a doctor. Doctors are required to comply with a
patients wishes, and patients are allowed to refuse treatment that could ultimately save their
lives. So why would this decision be any different than that one?
Perhaps the role of a doctor as it pertains to in assisted suicide is best summed up by
Judge Barbara J. Rothstein in California during an assisted suicide court case in 1994. She had
stated that, Like the abortion decision, the decision of a terminally ill person to end his or her
life involves the most intimate and personal choice a person may in a lifetime and constitutes a
choice central to personal dignity and autonomyautonomy (qtd. Worsnop). In other words,
Rothstein was That being said, she is basically saying the decision to use assisted suicide is
really between up to the person, and their doctor, much like in abortion., has to comply with the
patients wishes. However, others feel that legalizing assisted suicide, much like with abortion, is
much more than just an individual and personal choice. They feel that this is a choice that can
affect everyone, and should be made by everyone.
Some The ppeople opposed to this movement feel that legalizing assisted suicide is just a
slippery slope that would lead to people abusing the practice. Wesley Smith, an author of Forced
Exit a book which opposes assisted suicide, believes that legalizing assisted suicide would
sacrifice our duties and responsibilities to our community and each other. Opponents of this
movement feel that having doctors partake in it go against a doctors Hippocratic Oath that
states to First, do no harm (Smith). The opponents are also afraid that if assistes suicide is
legalized the doctor patient relationship would suffer, and as well as the use of other life saving
measures. This could mean that life support systems would become a thing of the past
(Worsnop).

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Another common fear is that some doctors do not have their patients best interest at
heart, and would use it as a tool for them to make more money. These people are fearful that the
terminally ill could be exploited and coerced into an early death. They also fear that anyone, of
any age, who wants it could request assisted suicide at any time and for any reason (Smith).This
is a great concern to have, but upon further investigation it has been proven to be shown that
groundless. Tthe qualifications and protocols of assisted suicide are strict,very clear, and must be
met precisely. The strictness of the rules would prevent a person from being able to obtain
physician assisted dying under false pretenses or on a whim.
In the few states where assisted suicide is legal, it is extremely hard to qualify for it.
Many people who are opposed to it are worried oppose assisted suicide worry that it could be
applied will apply to those who are not mentally, or emotionally, capable of making that decision
on their own. However, assisted suicide only applies to those who are terminally ill, ill. Assisted
suicide does not apply to the mentally ill because in most cases mental illness are considered to
be treatable can be treated (Humphry). Not only do patients have to meet qualifications, but the
doctors assisting have to meet certain qualifications as well. There are five main qualifications a
patient must meet in order to receive assisted suicide. The first two qualifications are that the
patient must be at least eighteen years old and a resident of the state they are wishing to receive
the aid in dying. The next qualification is that they must have been diagnosed with a terminal
illness and given six months or fewer to live. The final two qualifications are that they must be of
a sound mental state and must be capable of administering taking the medicationine by them-self
(ProCon.org). Not only do patients have to meet qualifications, but the doctors assisting them
have to meet certain qualifications as well.

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In order for For a doctor to qualify in prescribing a the drug for the use of suicide,, they
also have five qualifications are required to meet five qualifications. The first being that they
must be licensed for the state they are in and assisting a patient in. They then are required to
obtain have get a second doctors certification of their diagnosis., They and must then inform
their patient of other alternatives. Lastly, the main primary doctor and secondary doctor have to
determine that the patient is of a sound mental state.; Iif one or both doctors they are even
slightly unsure they must then send the patient for an mental evaluation (ProCon.org).
Depending on the state, a notification to the next of kin might also be necessary. Then a specific
step by step procedure must be followedadhered to. The process is not as simple as submitting
only one request to a doctor asking for their help in ending their life., one cannot simply submit a
single request to a doctor to help end their life. First, one must make a request for assistance in
dying the practice once, then wait fifteen days and ask once again. After this they is done they
must then must submit a written request. Once they have submitted a written request and it has
been approved they must wait an additional forty-eight hours before picking up the medication
and using it (ProCon.org).
At the end of the day Bboth sides of the assisted suicide controversy can agree on two
key issuespoints. The first being that the fear of a painful death is a major reason key
contributing factor in assisted suicide has becoming as e popular as it has. And two, that we need
to improve end of life methods and equipment.However, according to Richard Worsnop, the fear
of a painful death is groundless. There are powerful enough pain killers to dull severe pain,
without causing a person to go into a stupor. The underlying issue would be that these are hardly
ever prescribed. Even when they are prescribed, it is in doses that are considered to be too small

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to provide the necessary relief (Worsnop). The second issue that is agreed upon is And two, that
we need to improve our end of life methods and equipment. Methods and equipment meaning
palliative care, and life support machines (Malpas and Owens). One major component of this
issue is how intrusive these machines are. One of the most disturbing sights for a family to see is
the machines hooked up to their loved ones. It often requires tubes down their throats and up
their nose. Their loved ones no longer look like their loved ones. A thought that shakes them to
the core and can cause unnecessary emotional stress with unwanted lasting images. In the case of
my great grandfather, our final visit with him in hospice before he died is one that constantly
haunts my family. He had withered away to practically nothing and the man we saw was not who
he really was. It was a version of him, that he would have never wanted us to see. Another major
component of this issue is the cost of these ends of life services. With, or without, reliable health
care or insurance, the costs of end of life care, such as hospice and life support machines are
astronomical. In 2010 the cost to keep someone in ICU under Medicare, could be as much as
$10,000 per day (Fay). Also, under Medicare the cost of inpatient care at hospice was $652.27
per day (Fay).This is part of why many terminally ill people feel a push toward assisted suicide,
they do not want to be a burden on their families (Smith).These majortwo obstacles issues about
death and end of life care need to be addressed., that way we It would help doctors determine as
to whether or not a will know a patient is partaking in the practice of assisted suicide for the right
reasons. And also, so It also provides them with the knowledge we know that the patient y have
has truly exhausted all other measures and options available to them.
Assisted suicide is a necessity in to proving providing the terminally ill with a death full
of that has both dignity and meaning., and It undoubtedly belongs under the duties roles and

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obligations of a doctor. because it is bettering someones life and ending their suffering. It is not
doing a person harm, but rather a kindess because it improves a persons emotional state of mind,
as well as putting an end to their suffering. Some Many people may argue that assisted suicide is
morally wrong, which is the same argument like they do with use for abortion., The but it
decision is should ultimately be up to the at person who is terminally ill. Our country seems to be
regressing on all the progress that has been made. We must continue to fight for those who need
equality the most, during a persons life and during their process of death. We should not cannot
tell people what they can and cannot do with their bodies. Especially since we are not the ones
who have to try and live through the suffering. It not only infringes on our personal rights, but
everything also the freedoms we as Americans have fought so hard to achieve. These freedoms
that many Americans had died trying to maintain and protect.

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Works CitedCitations
The Brittany Maynard Fund. The Brittany Fund About Comments, Compassion &Amp;
Choices, thebrittanyfund.org/about/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2016
Chronology of Assisted Dying. Death with Dignity. Death With Dignity. Web.
www.deathwithdignity.org/assisted-dying-chronology. Accessed 29 Nov. 2016
Fay,Bill. Hospice and End of Life Option Costs. Debt.org, www.debt.org/medical/hospicecosts/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2016.
History of Final Exit Network. Final Exit, N.P., Web. www.finalexitnetwork.org/About-Us
Accessed 29 Nov. 2016
Humphry, Derek. Assisted Suicide. Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization.
www.assistedsuicide.org. Accessed 15 Oct. 2016

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Lee, Melinda A., et al. Legalizing Assisted Suicide - Views of Physicians in Oregon NEJM.
New England Journal of Medicine, Web. 1 Feb. 1996, 02 Dec. 2016
Malpas, Phillipa J. and R. Glynn Owens. "Given That Physician-Assisted Dying Is Ethical,
Should It Be Part Of A Doctor's Role?" Mortality 21.4 (2016): 295-304. Academic

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Search Complete. 10 Oct. 2016.

ProCon.org. "State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide." ProCon.org. 5 Oct. 2015,
5:24 p.m., euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000132. Accessed on 18
Oct. 2016
Smith, Wesley. Forced Exit. Times Books, 1997.

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The Brittany Maynard Fund. The Brittany Fund About Comments, Compassion &Amp;
Choices, thebrittanyfund.org/about/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2016
Wilson, Jacque. Suicide Tourism To Switzerland Has Doubled Since 2009. CNN Wire 20

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Aug. 2014.Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

Worsnop, Richard L. "Assisted Suicide Controversy." CQ Researche,r 5 May 1995: 393-416.

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Web. 15 Oct. 2016.