Hughes 1 Rachel Hughes Mr.

Reedy English III Honors 6 May 2011 Physician Assisted Suicide For the average individual, the idea of death is petrifying, but when a disease cripples one's body death may be the only cure. Physician assisted suicide is intended to be a last resort for one suffering from a terminal illness; it is a way for one to find an end to their suffering. Imagine being in so much agony that it hurts to move or breathe; the only thing one has to look forward to is the end. However, the end may be nowhere in sight; this may lead one to make arrangements to end their own life. Prohibiting physician assisted suicide prolongs the suffering of individuals and their families, violates fundamental and constitutional rights, contributes to economical hardships, denies patients a dignified death, and is a contradiction to the views of today's society. Terminal illness not only effects its victim, but everyone around them. As someone slowly succumbs to what will be their inevitable doom, only they can understand the anguish they are experiencing; however, everyone else must bear witness to it. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a disease that affects the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord along with the motor neurons that connect to the muscles of the body. A person suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, a terminal illness, would have trouble breathing and swallowing, drool excessively, constantly choke on vomit, lose mobility of neck, lose muscle mass and function, paralysis, and speech problems (ALS Association). As a terminal disease conquers one's body, there comes a point where one ceases to be who they once were,

Hughes 2 but continues to exist. When a person is reduced to a breathing corpse and the line between life and death is blurred, physician assisted suicide hastens the inevitable outcome. Their lives are over far before their heart stops beating. While a patient experiences this, the people around them must watch as the person they once knew slowly fades away. They see the pain they are in, the obstacles they are faced with, and the light leave their eyes. It is an unbearable thought, but one many people face; a thought that eventually leads one to hope, wish, pray for the end of another's life so that they might finally find peace. With physician assisted suicide, one not only knows that their loved one will soon be free from pain, but will also be able to say their heartfelt goodbyes. Due to the fact that physician assisted suicide is illegal in almost all states, people suffering from terminal illnesses often choose to take their own life and are forced to do so in inhumane ways. Physician assisted suicide allows people to end their suffering once and for all, and at the same time allows their families to do the same. Many assume that a patient may choose physician assisted suicide because they are simply depressed, and on some levels that is true. There is not a single terminally ill patent that would choose death over the option to recover, but for terminally ill patients that option is not existent. A person in their sane mind would naturally become depressed upon finding out that their life was going to expire within a given amount of time. However, this is why a patient must go through numerous obstacles to ensure that their motive for physician assisted suicide is not driven by pure depression. A Canadian pro-life group defines physician assisted suicide candidate as a terminally ill patient that does not suffer from depression but pleads for death (Robinson). Depression is inevitable when one comes to realize that they are going to die, but a terminally ill patient must overcome depression to be allowed a death assisted by physicians.

Hughes 3 While some patients must overcome depression, others must overcome a document as old as history to not only gain religious freedom but the right to physician assisted suicide. Physician assisted suicide may not be clearly stated in the constitution, but to deny it violates several amendments. The first amendment guarantees the right to religious freedom and as this is America, religious beliefs are extremely diverse. This country was founded under Christianity and as most Christians believe that to commit suicide is the ultimate, unforgiveable sin, physician assisted suicide is largely frowned upon. However, not everyone is a Christian and not all Christians view it as a sin, but even if they believe it to be a sin, it is ultimately not their choice to make. A person's religious views cannot, according to the constitution, be forced upon another, so it is actually unconstitutional to deny someone the right to physician assisted suicide. Buddhism is a religion that while not allowing suicide does not condemn it; however, Buddha urges that suicide only be used by one who has found enlightenment. According to Buddha, anger, hate, and fear must be absent from a person's mind in order for them to freely commit suicide. This is a religion that does technically allow physician assisted suicide, but because of the constitution an enlightened Buddhist would be prohibited from their own spiritual journey. Like Buddhism, the religion of Jainism does not prohibit physician assisted suicide. Jainism, an Indian religion, allows death by fasting. While this would obviously not require a physician to achieve, it is also prohibited by the constitution because it is used as a means to an early death. Jainism does not view fasting till death as suicide because terminal illness is an understood reason to hasten death. Santhara or Sallenkhana is a procedure in which a Jain stops eating with the intention of preparing for death. This is different from suicide as it is not taken in passionate mood of anger, deceit or other emotions, but is undertaken only when the body is no longer

Hughes 4 capable of serving its owner as a instrument of spirituality and when inevitability of death is a matter of undisputed certainty (BBC Religions). Assisted suicide was first brought to court in 1990 with the Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Department of Health. In this case, a family pleaded to have a comatose family member's feeding tube removed in accordance with their final wishes, but Missouri would not allow it without having "clear convincing evidence" to assure this was the patients desire. It was ultimately decided that the right to die was protected under the Due Process Clause, and the court ruling resulted in the patients desired death (Arras). Seven years later, the court was faced with two new court cases involving assisted suicide; this time the court saw these cases to be criminal acts because instead of allowing a patient to refuse treatment, they willingly assisted in their suicides. Ultimately, the Supreme Court reversed the decision. Many people view taking a substance to end their suffering either wrong morally or by law, but if a person chooses not to take every option available to prolong their life it's the same as suicide. Whether they choose to abstain from taking a pill, having a life saving surgery, or even make reckless decisions in their lives it all affect their lives and how long they will continue to live it. Craig Ewert, who chose physician assisted suicide, after being diagnosed with ALS in April of 2006 and chose to die that September, after needing the assistance of a ventilator to breathe. I am tired of the disease but I am not tired of living. I still enjoy life enough that I would like to continue, but the thing is that I really cannot. If I opt for life then that is choosing to be tortured rather than end this journey and start the next one. I cannot take the risk. Lets face it, when youre completely paralyzed and cannot

Hughes 5 talk, how do you let somebody know you are suffering? This could be a complete and utter hell (De Bruxelles). Prohibiting physician assisted suicide denies terminal patients of the basic fundamental right to a peaceful death. Everyone must learn to cope with hardships and illnesses in their lives, but when their life becomes a hardship, overrun by a disease, one might choose to end it rather than fight a battle when they are fully aware of the outcome. When a person's life is riddled with agony, they have lost all reason to live, they spend their days in a hospital taking medications, and they know it will only prolong their suffering. They deserve the right to decide how it will end. A person, no matter how horrible, should not be made to suffer because people with legal authority feel that intolerable pain coupled with the deterioration of one's body and quality of life is not just cause to terminate one's life. As terminally ill patients suffer, many Americans feel the financial strain due to increasing health insurance. From an economic stand point, physician assisted suicide is a logical approach to improve the health care of persons with treatable conditions. "Many commentators note that 27 to 30 percent of the Medicare budget is spent on the 5 percent of Medicare patients who die each year. They also note that the expenditures increase exponentially as death approaches, so that the last month of life accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the medical care expenditures in the last year of life (Emmanuel)." If the law were to allow physician assisted suicide, these numbers would drastically decrease due to the increase of people who choose physician assisted suicide, the total number of days each patient would have survived do to medical assistance, and total cost of care for patients that die. If physician assisted suicide were to be legalized, physician's would no longer face persecution for aiding their patients in suicide; this means that while more people

Hughes 6 would be dying there would be more money and resources to insure the survival of others who are not inflected with a terminal illness. "According to recent Medicare data, for a beneficiary who dies of cancer after receiving conventional care, $30,397 is spent on medical care in the last year of life. Fully 33 percent of the last year's costs are spent in the last month of life, and 48 percent in the last two months of life (Emmanuel)." If people were allowed to use physician assisted suicide as a means to an end, more than ten thousand dollars per person could be saved and redirected towards another patient. Also, if terminally ill patient's medical cost were to decrease, Medicare itself would require less money thus reducing the amount each tax payer is required to pay. This could be used as a way to stimulate the economy because the financial position of many Americans would be improved, allowing them the opportunity to make other investments. While there are many economical reasons that justify physician assisted suicide, many argue that the economical benefits may encourage unethical actions to occur. Care for the terminally ill is expensive, so it is naturally feared by some that one suffering from a terminal illness may choose physician assisted suicide as a way to spare their family from financial ruin (Melman). However, if one is only concerned of the expense that it will cost to allow their heart to continue to beat, their quality of life is already nonexistent. So, in their eyes, there is no reason for their life to exist. Also a concern, physicians may encourage physician assisted suicide, especially to the elderly, as a way to save money and resources. Many hospitals are given an allowance from Medicare to spend on the care of each patient ,but eventually the sum of money will be spent, and patients will be unable to afford further treatment. It is fear that some physicians may, not wanting patients to suffer, introduce the idea of physician assisted suicide to allow patients a peaceful death, as opposed to a death

Hughes 7 riddled with agonizing pain (Melman). However, if physician assisted suicide were to be legalized the money left unspent by those who do choose physician assisted suicide could be carried over to those who still have the desire to carry on. The positive economic effects of physician assisted suicide outweigh the suspicions of potential consequences, this would also allow a death with dignity. Death with dignity would be far from a consequence, if physician assisted suicide were legalized. Physician assisted suicide would allow patients dignity in death. Naturally, when we see someone in pain we try to relieve it, but sometimes physician assisted suicide is the only way achieve this. Instead of allowing someone to end their life in a peaceful manner, society has decided that a patient's medicine is to be increased until they can no longer feel pain, or anything else for that matter. The Hospice Patient Alliance says, "because morphine is regularly prescribed in hospices for relief of pain and suffering, physicians and nurses come to rely on its power to relieve pain and promote a death without suffering. A death with symptoms wellmanaged is one important aspect of what is called a "death with dignity." If this is the case then by giving terminally ill patients morphine until they are no longer able to function, we are creating the illusion that they are, in fact, dead, but still allowing their bodies to function at a basic level. Flooding a patient's body with numerous pharmaceutical products will relieve their pain to some extent, but typically the dosage is at such a high concentration that they are unresponsive. There is no dignity in this, and if we are going to treat these people as if they are dead, there is no reason they should not be allowed to die. Physician assisted suicide is a way that patients would be allowed to die with dignity; patients would no longer be subjected to the pains of their disease, endless hospital stays, and would not have to watch themselves deteriorate. Physician assisted suicide is the only humane way that society can play a role in

Hughes 8 someone's impending death and still claim that it was humane. Euthanasia and PhysicianAssisted Suicide ( For and Against) clearly states the motives of terminally ill patients; it states, "The reasons for favoring physician assisted suicide are not difficult to determine. They consist mainly of the interests that dying patients have in the process of dying being as painless and dignified as possible." Today's society has already shown that it is not opposed to euthanasia. Humane euthanasia is already being widely practiced with animals. Animal euthanasia has been practiced for decades and is considered to be a humane way to end the suffering of a beloved pet or stray animals. Without a second thought animals are put down for various reasons, but physician assisted suicide is forbidden. Physician assisted suicide is actually more humane than euthanizing an animal. According to the American Humane Association, nearly 3.7 million animals are euthanized each year. Almost 4 million innocent lives are taken every year without care, yet we deny the few terminally ill patients who would consent to physician assisted suicide the right to end their life. These animals are not given the option of whether they live or die, they are simply injected with a medicine that stops their heart because our world does not have room for them. The fact of the matter is that, a life is being taken regardless of who or what that life belongs too; however; society has decided that it is perfectly acceptable to take the life of an animal due to various, sometimes illegitimate, reasons, but advocates for prolonging human life no matter the situation. If we allow animal euthanasia, where the animal's views are not taken into account, then physician assisted suicide should be legalized because the patients are allowed to decide how they would like to proceed. For this reason, physician assisted suicide should be legalized or animal euthanasia should be the one that is considered inhumane.

Hughes 9 In conclusion, physician assisted suicide would end the suffering of many, stay within the confines of the constitution, boost the economy, offer patients dignity while dying, and is already allowed by society views. Patients would no longer have to deal with intense physical and emotional pain as they watch themselves deteriorate. The constitution already allows the option of physician assisted suicide for many Americans because of the first amendment, due to religious freedom. Buddhist and Janis religion give them the option of physician assisted suicide Therefore, it should be legalized because it would be a contradiction to the constitution. Physician assisted suicide would decrease health care cost because the number of patients seeking care till a natural death would decrease; this would allow people to invest that capital into other interest and would effectively raise the economy. Physician assisted suicide would give patients a dignified death; patients would no longer have to choose to remain overdosed on morphine to subdue the pain. Finally, physician assisted suicide is already practiced in today's society by euthanizing animals, so it is a belief that society already holds. For these reasons, physician assisted suicide should be legalized to benefit society.

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Works Cited ALS Association, . "What is ALS?." ALS Association.. The ALS Association, 2010. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. American Humane Association, . "Animals." Animal Euthanasia Organization Web. 29 Mar . 2011 Arras, John. "The Legacy of Nancy Cruzan." Center for Biomedical Ethics & Humanities 29 Sept 2004: Web. 6 Mar 2011 BBC Religions, . "BBC Religions." Euthanasia and suicide. 23 Nov. 2009. Web. 1 Apr BBC Religions, . "BBC Religions." Fasting. 10 Sept 2009. Web. 1 Apr 2011. De Bruxelles, Simon. "Professor Craig Ewert's Final Moments to be Broadcast on TV." Times 10 Dec.2008: Web. 6 Mar 2011. Dworkin, Gerald, Raymond Gillespie, and Sissela Bok. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Cambridge Univ Pr, 1998. 3. Print. Emmanuel, Ezekiel. "What Are the Potential Cost Savings from Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide?." New England Journal of Medicine 16 July 1998: Web. 16 Mar 2011 Hospice Patients Alliance, . "Allowing PRN Orders for Morphine." Hospice Patients Web. 24 Mar 2011. Melman, Maxwell. "Economic Motives for Physician-Assisted Suicide ." Doctor Will See You Know" 1 Feb. 2000; Web. 16 Mar 2011. 2011.

Hughes 11 Messerli, Joe. "Should an incurably-ill patient be able to commit physician-assisted suicide? ."Balanced Politics" 04 21 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2011. Robinson, B.A. . "Religious Tolerance." Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. 4 Sept. 2010. Web. 1 Apr 2011.

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