Physician Assisted Suicide Is The Real Question - 2011 Words

To live or die that is the real question? This is a question many terminally ill patients and their loved ones are facing in the county on a daily basis. Dealing with the pain of a sever cancer or watching a loved one battle discomfort can be unbearable. There are a growing number of people who choose to end their lives using physician assisted suicide. Although PAS has been around for several years, many people have a misinterpretation of what physician assisted suicide or PAS really is. In the early 1980s, Dr Kevorkian was widely known in the media for having assisted terminally ill patients with ending their lives. Dr. Kevorkian, an outspoken supporter of PAS was somewhat of a pioneer in this area however, he was arrested and put†¦show more content†¦(Pickert, Assisted Suicide, 2009). Medical ethics and patient care go hand and hand. As health care providers, it is their duty to see that the patient s needs are met. We are charged to insure comfort and proper recovery. The question here is whether there is a difference for patients who request voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide. These patients have the same rights to quality care of their bodies as we all do. Although, the United States constitution ensures us the right to life, it doesn t mean that the right to die is taken away. Five states currently allow physician assisted suicide. In each state there has been controversial and contentious debate as to whether states should follow the lead of states that have allowed PAS. Currently, in the great state of California, a woman by the name of Christie White is now suing the state for the right to end her life and ultimately the pain not only from her ailments but also from the promise of death which she believes she has the right to. White, who has been suffering from two types of insidious cancer, known as lymphoma and leukemia are slowly but surely killing her. She believes that the state should grant her right to PAS and allow her to end her pain. While doing this research, a relevant statute under the California state s penal code, which has been around since 1874 indicates anyone who tries to assist a person in suicide in whatever capacity, including