Physician-assisted suicide: ethical and legal considerations

Physician-Assisted Suicide

Should it be permissible for one to take his life?

Previously and now in many cultures, suicide has been considered as a best option in some certain situations of life. For example, in flashback we see Cato the Younger took away his life instead of living under Caesar. For stoics, suicide was a preferred and rational act and there was nothing immoral in suicide instead it was a best option (Long 1986, 206). On the other hand, In Christianity suicide is considered as an immoral act which defies God's will by being socially harmful and opposing the laws of nature (Edwards 2000). This outlook, to consider Hume' approach, disregards the fact that indenting suicide as an act that is possible, it is in no way countering God's will or nature (Hume 1986). However, the idea of permitting one to take away his life has negative impacts on public policy ethics in various ways. Now here we will concisely study physician-assisted suicides case in which an individual's desire to die might be helped through the action of another.

Suicide is the spontaneous act of ending one's own life by introducing the fatal and life threatening substance in the body. Physicians can directly or indirectly aid in the introduction of such substance in the body of the victim. As far as the term Physician-assisted suicide is concerned, it is actually a practice carried out by the physicians to provide the prescription of such medications that assists the patients in their suicidal activity (Stanford, 2013).

There are many physicians who oppose the concept concerning to Physician-assisted suicide while some of the physicians also back such point-of-view. Those who oppose this concept believe that the suicidal activities are against the very laws of the nature and assisting the patients by prescribing them the suicidal medications is the defiance of the fundamental tenant of medication. PAS is the actual abbreviation for the term Physician-assisted suicide and it is named as doctor-assisted suicide in the UK (Stanford, 2013).

However the aid by the physician in the suicidal medications to the patients is still the crux of the debate. Various terms are used by the commentators to explain the different objectives regarding this concept, such as "Physician-assisted suicide"euthanasia" and even the term "physician-assistance in death" etc.

Certain laws are established for the cases in which the patients are granted to acquire death. Physician-assisted death is allowed in some countries like Netherlands and Belgium. According to the laws of such countries there are two different scenarios, where the patients are allowed to ask for the suicidal acts to end their life. These two scenarios include the following conditions:

• If the patient is facing the agony of physical suffering

• Or if the patient is suffering from the psychological pains and disorders (Stanford, 2013).

Hume believed in a thought that suicide is a guilt and allegation free act (Hume 1986, 20) and certainly suicide doesn't come in the category of crime in UK since 1961 (Martin 1997, 451). However it is a special statutory crime to assist, support or counsel a suicide. Though only few of such prosecutions are brought. Lately PAS's issue has been highlighted and it has been debated on the conditions under which individuals should decide their death timings and manners, and whether they shall be enable to enlist the aid of physicians (Steinbock 2005, 235). The British Medical Association is against euthanasia (mercy killing) however it does accept legally and ethically that a patient can decline life-prolonging treatments, which certainly means that they can commit a suicide (BMA 1998). Failure to the prevention of suicide doesn't constitute abetting (Martin 1997, 451) though PAS's laws are not different for the person who is counseling someone to commit suicide (BMA 1998).However, In Oregon, PAS's restrictions on competent individuals' requests has been made legal (Steinbock 2005, 235, 238). There should be fine line drawn to differentiate suicide from mercy killing, i.e. acts in which the agents vary however where a line should be drawn is a problem.

The ethical point-of-views and arguments counseling PAS include suffering and autonomy (Steinbock 2005, 235-6). The first allegation says that it is brutal to protract the life of a patient who is suffering from pain which cannot be aided medically further. Second, assertions are based on the idea of Dr. Linda Ganzini's study which says that for a person who is about to die, it is important to not being in control and be independent in last days of his life (Steinbock 2005, 235).

Sound and logical result of these arguments and discussions is that, if PAS can be justified righteous on the basis of sufferings or autonomy, why should competent individuals or terminally sick be restricted to it? Certainly, the judge in sympathy of a dying patient v state of Washington (1995) specified that if at the heart of the freedom secured by the Fourteenth Amendment is this uncertain ability to have faith in and act on people's earnest beliefs about life, rights of committing suicide or assisting one are the prerequisite for every sane adult. Efforts to limit these rights are illusory to the terminally sick person (Steinbock 2005, 236).

It can be witnessed in the above discussion that religious disregarding of suicide has less importance as arbiter of ethics and policy. In societies which are democratic or more specifically secular with Christian backgrounds, opinions of religious groups or scholars should not confine the freedom of individuals in society (Steinbock 2005, 236). However there is an argument by others that the role play of the physician is to treat and help but not harm. Although the supporters of PAS state that death cannot always be regarded as harmful and assisting a suicide can sometimes be helpful. Perhaps it is witnessed that in countries where PAS is not legal and is considered as a crime people head abroad to do so. For example Reginald Crew who was breathing his last because of motor neuron disease went to Switzerland for AS, died in January 2002 (English et al. 2003, 119). However this may result in more stress because of dislocation rather than allowing PAS to take place.