Assisted suicide Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Assisted suicide - Research Paper guinea pigIn physician-assisted suicide, the physician prescribes the lethal dose, knowing the patient intends to end their life.The argument in favor of mercy killing usually justifies itself by citing compassion for the pain and suffering of terminally ill or respect for patient familiarity. (Hendin, 2004). The online Medical Dictionary defines patient autonomy asPatient Autonomy The right of patients to make decisions intimately their medical care without their health care supplier trying to influence the decision. Patient autonomy does pull up stakes for health care providers to educate the patient but does not allow the health care provider to make the decision for the patient.These two bases are often made ineffective. The physician may have the dress hat intentions in their heart for the patient and yet harm the patient unknowingly. And on the other side, patient autonomy is useless if the patients are not made aware of the options av ailable to them by a physician who is handy to do so.Although it might be true that the concerned physician is indeed compassionate to his or her patients needs, it is also possible that the physician does not know best. It has often been seen that due to lack of down or skill, the physician has misdiagnosed the patients illness and perhaps sent someone who could have been rec everyplaceed(p) to his or her death.This argument is meant to be an assertion of the patients right to choose death over life. But can any member of society, one who is inextricably connected to other members of the society, really be allowed to exercise their freedom of choice in any manner they choose? If that was true, it would be completely agreeable for us to say, murder our neighbor just because we chose to.In its favor, Peter Rogatz in The Positive Virtues of Physician-Assisted Suicide states that human being dignity is often at stake for patients. Even if they are not terminally ill or are not suf fering from