Essay Sanple about Physician Aided Death

Physician Aided Death or PAD is the practice of a doctor giving a terminally ill patient a way to end their life, often a lethal medicine. This is a controversial practice; in the U.S. it is only legal in 9 states and the District of Columbia(Death with Dignity Acts). PAD is a form of active euthanasia, meaning the patient wants choose it. This is not the same as passive euthanasia which is killing sick people, this is the type Nazis used. A lethal PAD prescription is given after patient request and an extensive process (Alterrs). Physician aided deaths should be legalized in the U.S.

The use of PAD is to comfort terminally ill patients and to minimize suffering. These patients are past the point of getting better palliative care is the only option, minimal suffering is the best case scenario. There are a myriad of reasons why a patient would choose PAD most but the most common are to have control over their life and to prevent future pain and suffering.  Being terminally ill strips away a lot of the control they once had over their lives. Most terminal illnesses are not preventable and deeply debilitating, such as cancer. It Takes away control of their lives and body and some want to regain control in their death by dying on their own terms. They can die at home with loved ones in a relatively painless manner(Alters). They choose this over what would be a drawn out painful death possibly in a hospital or hospice facility. The best treatment for these patients is to make them suffer as little as possible and for some PAD is the least suffering. In Oregon the practice has been legal for twenty three years and it was found that “204 people received prescriptions through the Death with Dignity Act in 2016, but only 133 of them died through that means—a proportion similar to that of previous years”(Weir). Just receiving the prescription but not using it can also give comfort and serve the same purpose of giving patients some control over their situation. Physician aided death is a good option to have for those who want it as it provides comfort to them and limits suffering which is the best treatment in these cases even if they don't take it. 

Body 2: morality-religion 

One of the main arguments PAD is that it is not morally acceptable or goes against certain religions. Everyone has their own moral and personal beliefs and it is not acceptable to force everyone to follow the beliefs that they don't follow. Terminally Ill People should be allowed to make the choice to receive the lethal prescription after going through the proper steps if they want it and be allowed to decide for themselves whether or not they want to take it.  It is not morally right to prevent patients completely, as is standard in most states, from receiving the treatment they want. It should be the patient's choice as it is a matter of patient autonomy. Timothy E. Quill is a Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, Medical Humanities, and Nursing at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, he has been an advocate for PAD for decades and in an interview said “Some physicians believe the practice is unethical or goes against their religious beliefs; if that is the case, they should not participate in the process, even if they live in a state where it is legally permitted” (Balancing a Reverence For Life). PAD Should a physician not feel comfortable with helping provide this for a patient they should be able to opt out and have the patient see someone else.

Opposition:

-could be abused 

Another concern of people who oppose the legalization of Physician aided death is that it could be abused. The concern being patients could be coerced into getting it by family members who serve to benefit from their death. Additionally, some worry it would be given out carelessly or too much. Kim Callinan is the president and CEO of a non profit Compassion and CHoices that supports PAD she says “that since Oregon first legalized it in 1997, no data has shown any merit to the warnings about abuse and coercion”(Houghton). In the states in which it is legal there is an extensive process to receive a lethal prescription. There are many qualifications to even be considered and the process from first oral request to receiving prescription takes at least 3-4 weeks. The process consists of an initial oral request, confirmation of eligibility, a waiting period of  minimum 15 days, a second request, a written request done in front of two people one who isn’t related to you, another shorter waiting period, and then the prescription is provided(How to Access). The process is made to prevent abuse and coercion. 

Physician aided Death should be legalized in all of the United States. It provides much needed comfort to those who want it as well as serves as a way to minimize suffering for terminally ill people. If medical professionals are uncomfortable for moral reasons they can opt out but it should not be illegal. Lastly there is no evidence to suggest that people have been coerced into choosing PAD and the process limits abuse of it. These patients have gone through and go through extreme suffering and should be able to use their autonomy to cope in the way they choose including through Physician Aided death.