Research Paper
Let’s talk about death, more so let’s talk about assisted suicide. What is assisted suicide? Assisted suicide is the suicide of a patient suffering from an incurable disease, by the taking of lethal drugs provided by a doctor under the patient’s own choosing. (Oxford Dictionary, 2013). This is not to be confused with euthanasia the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. (Oxford Dictionary, 2013). They are two different things. In this past two decade assisted suicide has become a huge issue in the medical world after Doctor Jack Kevorkian began practicing assisted suicide in Michigan. The issue of assisted suicide however has been around a lot longer stemming back even before the birth of Christ. History of Assisted Suicide The history behind assisted suicide starts out in ancient Greece and Rome through 5th Century B.C.-1st Century B.C. This was the time before Christ and many Greek and Romans attitude towards assisted suicide and euthanasia were tolerant. Many did not have the belief in the values of individual life. “Pagan physicians likely performed frequent abortions as well as both voluntary and involuntary mercy killings.” (A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America, 2003). While they did have the Hippocratic Oath where in it, it said “I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect.” Many of the doctors did not follow this passage. Instead many believed in voluntary death rather than prolonged suffering. By 1st Century A.D.-16th Century the practice of assisted suicide was becoming rare. Following the rise of Christianity the body became more sacred. “The ascendancy of Christianity, with its view that human life is a trust from God, reinforced the views of the Hippocratic School [which forbid euthanasia]. By the twelfth through fifteenth centuries, it culminated in the near unanimity of medical opinion in opposing euthanasia." (Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Killing or Caring?, 1998). There were even laws put into place in parts of Europe that if someone had committed suicide their body would either be drug through the streets or nailed to a barrel and floated down river. (A Merciful End: The Euthanasia Movement in Modern America, 2003). 17th Century-Present many people were and are still against the practice of suicide and many laws have been put into place to forbid the practice. One of the biggest supporters against assisted suicide is the Catholic church in May of 1980 John Paul II issued the Declaration of Euthanasia which “opposing mercy killing but permitting increased use of painkillers and a patient's refusal of extraordinary means for sustaining life.“ (The Right to Die Debate: A Documentary History, 1999). In 1990 Dr. Jack Kevorkian began to practice assisted suicide in Michigan. He made the debate on assisted suicide an issue again. On June 26, 1997 the U.S Supreme Court ruled in the Washington v. Glucksberg case that there is not a constitutional right to die. (http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000022) In the early 2000’s to now Right-to-die groups along with Final Exit are around the United States trying to legalize assisted suicide while also helping people to end their lives. To this day the U.S has four states that have legalized assisted suicide (Vermont, Oregon, Montana, and Washington). It is also has been legalized in the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium, and Switzerland. (Wikipedia.org, Assisted Suicide, 2014).
Technological Advances in Assisted Suicide.
Currently there are very few technological advances for assisted suicide. In the states and countries that have legalized assisted suicide they will give the person some sedatives for them to take along with the lethal doses of medicine. While in the states and countries that don’t have the option to turn to a doctor for help they turn to others for help. One such instance of this is with the right-to-die and the final exit groups who use cruder ways such as using a plastic hood filled with helium. Dr. Jack Kevorkian as well had a machine that he called the “suicide machine” the administered lethal drugs to the people he helped. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_device)
The Pro’s and Con’s for Assisted Suicide.
With assisted suicide there are many pro’s and con’s connected to it. On the pro side of the topic the patients' pain and suffering would end. They would be able to die with dignity and not a former shell of themselves. Many vital organs could be saved and given to people in need of them. The family of the person would be able to have time to cope and possibly lower the pain. Healthcare costs would be lowered for families. There are also many cons associated with assisted suicide. It could open up a floodgate to non-critical suicides. It violates the Hippocratic Oath so they would have to rewrite it. In some cases doctors could be given too much power. Most importantly it could decrease the value of life.
What would happen if the Pro side won?
If assisted suicide was legalized the field of Medicine would be completely different. What I think would happen at first would be all the laws put into place to make sure that only the people who are terminally ill and have six months or less to live would be able to opt for assisted suicide. If people were to opt for assisted suicide many other people could be saved through the patient’s healthy organs. Patients would no longer need to suffer if they did not want to. They could die with dignity instead of a former shell of themselves. With the physician assistance people wouldn’t have to commit suicide in traumatic ways. The cost of healthcare would be reduced for families of patients who are terminally ill as well.
What would happen if the Con side won?
With every pro there will be con’s. It is no different with assisted suicide. If assisted suicide was legalized there would be laws put into place where only some could opt for assisted suicide. It would most likely the terminally ill patients with six months or fewer to live. If that were the case many other terminally ill patients who had more time or people who weren’t terminally ill, but suffered from untreatable diseases that were either mentally or physically suffering would try to petition to have the laws less restrictive to who could be able to opt for assisted suicide. Many religions are against it so it could also be hard for some families to go through with it or do it at all. If patients who are terminally ill and look like they are in bad shape the doctors and families might just give up on recovery. The value placed on life would decrease. Government and insurance companies may put undue pressure on doctors to avoid heroic measures.
The Prominent Sides
Throughout all of its existence the Christian Church has been against assisted suicide. Christians believe the body to be gift from god and if you commit suicide you go straight to hell. In May of 1980 John Paul II issued the Declaration of Euthanasia which “opposing mercy killing but permitting increased use of painkillers and a patient's refusal of extraordinary means for sustaining life.“ (The Right to Die Debate: A Documentary History, 1999). Although that was over 34 years ago they still hold that ground today. Another group against assisted suicide is Euthanasia Prevention Coalition a group who is out to inform the public about assisted suicide, and to vote against it if your area is voting on it. Among many things one of their main goals is “To present a united voice in presentations to governments or other organizations with respect to issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.” (http://www.epcc.ca/about-us/aims, 2014). The Final Exit is a group that supports assisted suicide. The group ran by volunteers and its main goal along with many other pro assisted suicide groups is to inform the public of assisted suicide. They also help people with diseases who want to commit assisted suicide. They take the people who are suffering and help them travel to a state where assisted suicide is legalized. On their website The Final Exit say “We offer guidance and the most current information known for self-deliverance when the member is ready to choose. Safeguards are in place to insure that the person’s decision is voluntary and repeatedly stated.” (http://www.finalexitnetwork.org/new/we-serve/, 2014).
How often does this occur in the U.S?
Currently only four of the states in the U.S have legalized assisted suicide. According to Washington State only 255 people in the U.S have obtained lethal prescription from a physician. “Of those 255 prescriptions, 40 were written for terminal cancer patients at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. And, in the new study, doctors there found that only 60 percent (24 people) of their patients chose to use their prescription to hasten their death.” (Physician-Assisted Suicide Program Rarely Used, Study Finds, 2013). Keep in mind this is a very small sample size with only four out of fifty states having assisted suicide legalized. As of recently Massachusetts just voted against legalizing Assisted Suicide. (Mass. doctor-assisted suicide measure fails, 2012).
Case Study
In 1990 Janet Adkins 54, of Portland, Oregon had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She then was signed up to partake in an experimental drug treatment for Alzheimer’s. After the drugs had failed to work Janet then talked to her husband and family about assisted suicide and that she wanted no longer wanted to live. Mrs. Adkins then contacted Jack Kevorkian a retired pathologist and rights-to-die supporter who she had seen on television and read about in magazines. She told him about how she had been diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer’s and that she had wished to end her life. After agreeing to see her Janet Adkins and her husband Ronald Adkins traveled to Michigan. In Michigan Janet and her husband met Dr. Jack Kevorkian, he then began to talk to Janet and her physician back in Oregon who had diagnosed her with Alzheimer’s.
After talking to both of them Dr. Kevorkian agreed that she had Alzheimer’s and would help her end her life. On June 4, 1990 Dr. Kevorkian took Janet to a local park in Michigan where in his van he helped end her life. He then attached his “suicide machine” a device that first releases a sedative that puts the person into a deep coma and then a lethal dose of potassium chloride, which would stop the heart. After Janet Adkins had passed away, Kevorkian then called the police to report the death. Charges of second degree murder were placed on him. After going to court Jack Kevorkian was found not guilty and was not sentenced to jail. Dr. Kevorkian continued to help people commit suicide until in 1998 where Kevorkian released a tape of him administering lethal drugs to man suffering from ALS. He was taken to court and was found guilty of second degree murder. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in jail; he was however released in 2008 on good behavior. (The Life and Deaths of Jack Kevorkian, 2011).
Who is impacted?
The people that are most impacted by this is people who are suffering from diseases that cause them either mental or physical pain. It also impacts the physicians involved that have to help the patient and also the family. Basically it does affect everyone because you never know if you will end up in these peoples situation.
Severity of issue
Personally I rank the severity of the issue an 8. It is a serious issue that has been around for a very long time. Yes I understand it violates the Hippocratic Oath and that doctors have to do everything possible to save these people, but we all know there is only a limited amount that they can do. These people are suffering and in many cases are not going to get better. Why do we deny these people the help they actually need? We are all going to die; we should be able to die when we want to. People shouldn’t have to suffer to the end, if they want out of the pain and suffering that disease is causing them we should be able to help them.
Technological Advances in Assisted Suicide.
Currently there are very few technological advances for assisted suicide. In the states and countries that have legalized assisted suicide they will give the person some sedatives for them to take along with the lethal doses of medicine. While in the states and countries that don’t have the option to turn to a doctor for help they turn to others for help. One such instance of this is with the right-to-die and the final exit groups who use cruder ways such as using a plastic hood filled with helium. Dr. Jack Kevorkian as well had a machine that he called the “suicide machine” the administered lethal drugs to the people he helped. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_device)
The Pro’s and Con’s for Assisted Suicide.
With assisted suicide there are many pro’s and con’s connected to it. On the pro side of the topic the patients' pain and suffering would end. They would be able to die with dignity and not a former shell of themselves. Many vital organs could be saved and given to people in need of them. The family of the person would be able to have time to cope and possibly lower the pain. Healthcare costs would be lowered for families. There are also many cons associated with assisted suicide. It could open up a floodgate to non-critical suicides. It violates the Hippocratic Oath so they would have to rewrite it. In some cases doctors could be given too much power. Most importantly it could decrease the value of life.
What would happen if the Pro side won?
If assisted suicide was legalized the field of Medicine would be completely different. What I think would happen at first would be all the laws put into place to make sure that only the people who are terminally ill and have six months or less to live would be able to opt for assisted suicide. If people were to opt for assisted suicide many other people could be saved through the patient’s healthy organs. Patients would no longer need to suffer if they did not want to. They could die with dignity instead of a former shell of themselves. With the physician assistance people wouldn’t have to commit suicide in traumatic ways. The cost of healthcare would be reduced for families of patients who are terminally ill as well.
What would happen if the Con side won?
With every pro there will be con’s. It is no different with assisted suicide. If assisted suicide was legalized there would be laws put into place where only some could opt for assisted suicide. It would most likely the terminally ill patients with six months or fewer to live. If that were the case many other terminally ill patients who had more time or people who weren’t terminally ill, but suffered from untreatable diseases that were either mentally or physically suffering would try to petition to have the laws less restrictive to who could be able to opt for assisted suicide. Many religions are against it so it could also be hard for some families to go through with it or do it at all. If patients who are terminally ill and look like they are in bad shape the doctors and families might just give up on recovery. The value placed on life would decrease. Government and insurance companies may put undue pressure on doctors to avoid heroic measures.
The Prominent Sides
Throughout all of its existence the Christian Church has been against assisted suicide. Christians believe the body to be gift from god and if you commit suicide you go straight to hell. In May of 1980 John Paul II issued the Declaration of Euthanasia which “opposing mercy killing but permitting increased use of painkillers and a patient's refusal of extraordinary means for sustaining life.“ (The Right to Die Debate: A Documentary History, 1999). Although that was over 34 years ago they still hold that ground today. Another group against assisted suicide is Euthanasia Prevention Coalition a group who is out to inform the public about assisted suicide, and to vote against it if your area is voting on it. Among many things one of their main goals is “To present a united voice in presentations to governments or other organizations with respect to issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.” (http://www.epcc.ca/about-us/aims, 2014). The Final Exit is a group that supports assisted suicide. The group ran by volunteers and its main goal along with many other pro assisted suicide groups is to inform the public of assisted suicide. They also help people with diseases who want to commit assisted suicide. They take the people who are suffering and help them travel to a state where assisted suicide is legalized. On their website The Final Exit say “We offer guidance and the most current information known for self-deliverance when the member is ready to choose. Safeguards are in place to insure that the person’s decision is voluntary and repeatedly stated.” (http://www.finalexitnetwork.org/new/we-serve/, 2014).
How often does this occur in the U.S?
Currently only four of the states in the U.S have legalized assisted suicide. According to Washington State only 255 people in the U.S have obtained lethal prescription from a physician. “Of those 255 prescriptions, 40 were written for terminal cancer patients at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. And, in the new study, doctors there found that only 60 percent (24 people) of their patients chose to use their prescription to hasten their death.” (Physician-Assisted Suicide Program Rarely Used, Study Finds, 2013). Keep in mind this is a very small sample size with only four out of fifty states having assisted suicide legalized. As of recently Massachusetts just voted against legalizing Assisted Suicide. (Mass. doctor-assisted suicide measure fails, 2012).
Case Study
In 1990 Janet Adkins 54, of Portland, Oregon had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She then was signed up to partake in an experimental drug treatment for Alzheimer’s. After the drugs had failed to work Janet then talked to her husband and family about assisted suicide and that she wanted no longer wanted to live. Mrs. Adkins then contacted Jack Kevorkian a retired pathologist and rights-to-die supporter who she had seen on television and read about in magazines. She told him about how she had been diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer’s and that she had wished to end her life. After agreeing to see her Janet Adkins and her husband Ronald Adkins traveled to Michigan. In Michigan Janet and her husband met Dr. Jack Kevorkian, he then began to talk to Janet and her physician back in Oregon who had diagnosed her with Alzheimer’s.
After talking to both of them Dr. Kevorkian agreed that she had Alzheimer’s and would help her end her life. On June 4, 1990 Dr. Kevorkian took Janet to a local park in Michigan where in his van he helped end her life. He then attached his “suicide machine” a device that first releases a sedative that puts the person into a deep coma and then a lethal dose of potassium chloride, which would stop the heart. After Janet Adkins had passed away, Kevorkian then called the police to report the death. Charges of second degree murder were placed on him. After going to court Jack Kevorkian was found not guilty and was not sentenced to jail. Dr. Kevorkian continued to help people commit suicide until in 1998 where Kevorkian released a tape of him administering lethal drugs to man suffering from ALS. He was taken to court and was found guilty of second degree murder. He was sentenced to 10-25 years in jail; he was however released in 2008 on good behavior. (The Life and Deaths of Jack Kevorkian, 2011).
Who is impacted?
The people that are most impacted by this is people who are suffering from diseases that cause them either mental or physical pain. It also impacts the physicians involved that have to help the patient and also the family. Basically it does affect everyone because you never know if you will end up in these peoples situation.
Severity of issue
Personally I rank the severity of the issue an 8. It is a serious issue that has been around for a very long time. Yes I understand it violates the Hippocratic Oath and that doctors have to do everything possible to save these people, but we all know there is only a limited amount that they can do. These people are suffering and in many cases are not going to get better. Why do we deny these people the help they actually need? We are all going to die; we should be able to die when we want to. People shouldn’t have to suffer to the end, if they want out of the pain and suffering that disease is causing them we should be able to help them.