Should life be preserved at all costs or should physician assisted suicide be legalized?
There are numerous debates about the legality of assisted suicide, some people argue that physician assited suicide is immoral, they have religious objections to assisted suicide, whilst others believe that they should be able to end their suffering in a manner and time which suits them and die with dignity.
The subject of physician assisted suicide has recently reared its head again with the double assisted suicide of the British Conductor Sir Edward Downes and his wife at a clinic in Switzerland.
The story is unusual in that only Sir Edward's wife was terminally ill but, almost blind and going deaf, Edward Downes decided to end his life with his wife rather than "continue to struggle with serious health problems".
But, should we have the right to die, the right to choose the time and manner of our own death?
What Is Assisted Suicide?
What wikipedia has to say about assisted suicide.
Assisted suicide is the process by which an individual, who may otherwise be incapable, is provided with the means (drugs or equipment) to commit suicide. In some cases, the terms aid in dying or death with dignity are preferred.For example, Oregon law draws a distinction between "suicide" and "aid in dying" for criminal purposes. ORS 127.880 §3.14 These terms are often used to draw a distinction from suicide; in some legal jurisdictions, "suicide" (whether assisted or not) remains illegal, while "aid in dying" is permitted.
The term euthanasia refers to an act that ends a life in a painless manner, performed by someone other than the patient. This may include withholding common treatments resulting in death, removal of the patient from life support, or the use of lethal substances or forces to end the life of the patient.
The Demand For Physician Assisted Suicide Is On The Increase.
Is it right that physician assisted suicide should be legalized?
These days there seems to be a growing demand to introduce legislation that gives terminally ill patients the right to choose the right to die in the manner and at a time of their choice.
Terminally ill people in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland as well as certain States in the US have a right to assisted suicide, (with the approval of two doctors and a panel of experts), yet people in the UK and elsewhere have to travel abroad at a time of great suffering in order to get assistance to end their suffering in a peaceful and dignified way.
When somebody makes a rational decision that their quality of life will deteriorate to such a level that it makes life unbearable for them do we have the right to deny them the opportunity to die with dignity at a place and time which suits them and with medical assistance to ensure that there are no mistakes?
Perhaps we can't fully make up our minds on a subject as serious as assisted suicide until the unspeakable happens and we have no choice but to explore all the options available to us. But, for or aginst it, please add your thoughts to the debate on assisted suicide and please feel free to retweet the debate if you wish to do so.
Do you think that assisted suicide should be legalised?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, under certain circumstances physician assisted suicide should be legalized.
no ones business says:
yes I do think that it should be legalised, I have problems in my life and I sometimes think about it, I have no one who really loves me, my boyfriend thinks that he can love but not care about me. What do I have a purpose in life, If it was legalised I would/
Posted December 05, 2009
kd beautiful says:
depends... only if the person has like two months to live and is in constant agony but not if they're just sickand tired of living! It gives them a way out of living their last days in torture. and they would have to get at least 2 days of consuling before.
Posted December 01, 2009
meghan says:
people should be able to die if its there decision.help them its there last wish
Posted November 30, 2009
SquidooKimberly says:
I think keeping people alive in suffering and against their will is immoral and unethical.
Posted November 07, 2009
Pukeko says:
After watching my mother pass slowly and painfully, I am very much in favor of allowing on to select dieing with dignity. Once she was past the point of any possible hope for recovery, it seemed cruel to keep her alive.
Posted October 27, 2009
Arya says:
to me alife with no quality in no life at all. by forcing someone to extend their life expectancy by preserving their body in medication you do not save them, let alone care for them. if we truly do care then we should be able to see that by granting a choice we dont force them to end their life as many would claim but we are providing them the reasurance that is something ever goes horribly wrong they will have the option of leaving this world painlessly, peacefully and surely with the presence of their lived ones and doctors. people often link assisted suicide with suicide when they are two completely different things. suicide is a brutal action that one has on one self, an action of diaconnection and dispair. assisted suicide is acting in a humaine manner to a hunam being by removign their sufferind and providing them with the oppostunity of a dignified death.
Posted September 23, 2009
kitty222 says:
I think assisted suicide should be permitted as long as it is legally documented in advance that this is what the person wanted. The documentation is IMPORTANT because, otherwise, how do you make the distinction between an assisted suicide and murder? This can help cut down on both artificially extending someone's life beyond any reasonable quality of living, and the medical costs associated with keeping someone alive.
Posted September 16, 2009
SALLY-ANN NORMAN says:
Having worked as a nurse for many years in oncology/trauma & high dependency units/I.T.U. I feel extremely infavour of a persons right ot die when they feel fit as keeping many people alive as we do is not a life but an existence where they linger on and suffer deeply. We donot allow this even with our own animals and pets so why do we do this to our fellow man?
Posted August 01, 2009
flighty02 says:
I hope to God that neither myself or my family is ever in the situation where we have an illness which would see our quality of life deteriorating so much that we feel compelled to seek aid in dying, but, at the end of the day I can only say that I believe that the patient should have the right to choose!
I therefore hope that more countries will make compassionate reforms so the patient can at least have the choice.
Posted July 20, 2009
Definately not! Assisted suicide is immoral and unethical.
Should We Be Given The Right To Die?
If you don't have the time at the moment to voice your opinion above, perhaps you could take part in this poll.
Learn More About The Arguments For And Against Assisted Suicide
Physician assisted suicide is a subject which is hotly debated
This book looks at the arguments both for and against euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.
Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide (For & Against) (For and Against)
Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide (For and Against)
Amazon Price: $31.44 (as of 12/23/2009)
Product Description
The moral issues involved in doctors assisting patients to die with dignity are of absolutely central concern to the medical profession, ethicists, and the public at large. The debate is fuelled by cases that extend far beyond passive euthanasia to the active consideration of killing by physicians. The need for a sophisticated but lucid exposition of the two sides of the argument is now urgent. This book supplies that need. Two prominent philosophers, Gerald Dworkin and R. G. Frey present the case for legalization of physician-assisted suicide. One of the best-known ethicists in the US, Sissela Bok, argues the case against.
The Latest News About Assisted Suicide
- Physician-assisted suicide: A perspective from advocates for people with ...
- New York, NY, December 23, 2009 ? Although public opinion in the United States on physician-assisted suicide is evenly divided, about half of states have ...
- ISLAND COMMENTARY Emotion not good basis to support assisted suicide
- 15 editorial ("Legalize aided suicide," Star-Bulletin) but I don't agree with your conclusion that assisted suicide should be legalized. ...
- Peter Stockland: The hypocrisy of doctor-assisted suicide
- The move is a response to remorseless forces that insist on a need to debate whether euthanasia or assisted suicide should become part of standard medical ...
- Hospital Shooting Sparks Assisted Suicide Debate
- "I feel assisted suicide is wrong," he said. Scott Foster also lost his wife 11 years ago, but still remembers her pain. "I've witnessed some terrible ...
Articles About Assisted Suicide
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A law on assisted dying would be merciful
Editorial: What the Purdy case clearly shows, is that ambiguity is the source of most anguish
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The Dignitas experience: 'It was all a bit scruffy, but it didn't seem to matter'
John Larrett, who accompanied his terminally ill wife to Dignitas in 2003, talks about their experience
More Reading For Those Interested In Finding Out More About Assisted Sucide
Understanding Assisted Suicide: Nine Issues to Consider
Get Understanding Assisted Suicide From Amazon UK
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $20.20 (as of 12/23/2009)
Final Exit (Third Edition): The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying
Final Exit is also available on Amazon UK
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $11.56 (as of 12/23/2009)
The Best Way to Say Goodbye: A Legal Peaceful Choice At the End of Life
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $30.00 (as of 12/23/2009)
Assisted Suicide Useful Links
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Death with Dignity National Center
This past spring, the Death with Dignity Act was widely recognized and lauded for being a safe, compassionate law providing comfort and peace of mind to terminally ill adults. The Oregon Department of Human Services' (DHS)11th annual report detailing usage of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act demonstrates that this praise is well deserved.
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Compassion & Choices
Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit organization, improves care and expands choice at the end of life. We support, educate and advocate.
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World Federation of Right to Die Societies
The World Federation, founded in 1980, consists of 38 right to die organizations from 23 countries. The Federation provides an international link for organizations working to secure or protect the rights of individuals to self-determination at the end of their lives.
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Final Exit Network
Until laws protect the right of every adult to a peaceful, dignified death,
Final Exit Network will be there to support those who need relief
from their suffering today!-
Dignity in Dying
Dignity in Dying campaign for greater choice, control and access to services at the end of life. We believe that people should have more control over how, where and when they die. Greater choice includes giving mentally competent, terminally ill adults the choice of an assisted death within strict legal safeguards.
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Dying With Dignity Victoria - Respect for the right to choose
The overwhelming majority of Australians (80%) believe that terminally ill individuals should have a right to seek and obtain assistance to end their life with dignity. That right does not exist.
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Dignity NZ - Welcome
We share with all forms of life the certainty of death. It is natural for us to hope that it will come to us peacefully and without prolonged suffering or distress. This hope however is not always fully realised and under our current legislation, people who have good reason to seek a medically assisted or induced death are unable to attain it. They may have to endure circumstances that they feel are intolerable. Many would be relieved of that anxiety about their final days if they knew that a quick and peaceful death could be available to them in such circumstances.
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DIGNITAS
DIGNITAS - Some Information in English
Dou You Have Any More Thoughts On Physician Assisted Suicide And The Right To Die?
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- Pukeko Pukeko Oct 27, 2009 @ 6:02 am
- Great job on a difficult and controversial topic. Blessed by a squidoo angel.
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- kitty222 kitty222 Sep 16, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
- This is one of the more controversial topics I've ever heard of. I can see where the religious and moral objections come in; where do you draw the line between murder and helping to ease someone's suffering? And if a person is so debilitated that he/she can't communicate and he/she hasn't documented his/her wishes in advance, how can you tell what he/she would have wanted?
On the other hand, I think the price of health care as a whole would be a lot less if people were allowed to choose a dignified death. And there's quality of life to consider too; even for people who don't work in the health care industry, you can sort of tell who is just waiting for death if you walk into an assisted living facility and take a good look around.
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- Ladymermaid Ladymermaid Sep 9, 2009 @ 6:39 pm
- This one is a rough one. Good job on covering all the angles.
Ladymermaid
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- calicoskies calicoskies Jul 23, 2009 @ 10:58 am
- Great lens for a tough debate! 5 stars - great job...
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- bdkz bdkz Jul 21, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
- Very important topic!
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