FREE ESSAY ON ASSISTED-SUICIDE RIGHT OR WRONG

ASSISTED-SUICIDE RIGHT OR WRONG

Assisted-Suicide 
Right or Wrong
Deciding when to die and when to live is an issue that has only recently begun to
confront patients all over the world. There is an elderly man lying in a hospital bed, he
just had his fourth heart attack and is in a persistent vegetative state. He is hooked up
to a respirator and has more tubes and IV's going in and out of his body everywhere.
These kinds of situations exist in every hospital everyday. Should physicians or doctors
be allowed to assist patients, like this one, in death? Even though, physician-assisted
suicide is illegal in the U.S., many doctors are helping suffering patients die.
Physicians should not provide treatments that have a low chance of succeeding, such as
respirators for patients in a permanent vegetative state. 
Rita L. Maker, an attorney and executive director of the International Anti-Euthanasia
Task Force, believes "the debate isn't about the tragic, personal act of suicide, nor is
it about attempted suicide…the current debate is about whether public policy should
be changed in a way that will transform prescriptions from poison into medical
treatment"(45). 
Oregon is the only state that allows assisted suicide. A doctor will prescribe medication
and the pharmacist will say "be sure to take all of these pills at one time-with a light
snack or alcohol-to induce death"(45). The states insurance companies pay for the
medication, which are paid for by Medicaid called "comfort care"(46).
"Whether other states embrace Oregon-style care will depend upon a willingness to
carefully examine what truly is at stake in this debate…about public policy"(46).
It 
does not matter about your point of view on physician-assisted suicide; it's the layout
and plan that matters. For example "Walter Dellinger, acting solicitor general, said 'the
least costly treatment for any illness is lethal medication' he was right. A prescription
for a deadly overdose runs about thirty five dollars… the patient won't consume any
more health care dollars"(Marker 46). Whenever the economy was involved there was always
a major hill to climb. Not to long ago patients were told to come in to get check ups
that were not necessary. All the hospitals and clinics got paid back for everything they
did to the patient. Finally, people became smarter and started to say no the unnecessary
treatments. Now their income relates to the information they provide, the less the
better.
Marker reports that in recent years "a significant number of health-maintenance
organizations or HMO's are 'for-profit' enterprises where stockholder benefit, not
patient well-being, is the bottom line"(47). There are programs that allow physicians
from telling the whole truth. The doctor will say one thing when it really means
something different and usually it is for the worse. Not many people research into their
medical coverage until they are sick. Once that happens you are not going to have a clue
what your plan covers. Marker stresses that "having a physician friend who would talk
over a planned assisted-suicide before prescribing a lethal dose is nothing more than a
fantasy for the vast majority of American"(48). 
Today, if its a patients first visit it will be no longer than twenty minutes and if the
patient returns its visit will be ten minutes. Another example is that some medical
programs want doctors to not treat patients right a way and will usually cause a
conflict. Marker points out "a survey published in 1998 in the Archives of Internal
Medicine… 
found that doctors who are the most thrifty when it comes to medical expenses would be
six times more likely than their counterparts to provide a lethal prescription"(48). 
If a physician is truthfully against assisted-suicide he or she will offer every possible
alternative to the patient. To sum it all up, Wesley Smith, an attorney and consumer
advocate, expresses "the last people to receive medical care will be the first to receive
assisted-suicide"(qtd. in Marker 49). If we embrace assisted suicide as medical
treatment, it will return our embrace with a death grip that is cold, cruel and anything
but compassionate"(49).
On the other hand, Marcia Angell, executive editor of the New England Journal of
Medicine, it should not be a crime for doctors to respect the wishes of terminally ill
patients who want assistance in committing suicide. She start of her argument by
referring to a Supreme Court decision in which," they found dying patient [sic] have no
right to decide for themselves to cut short their suffering by asking their doctors to
prescribe an overdose of sleeping pills or painkillers." The court said it is the state
legislatures fault for having laws on physician-assisted suicide. So the patient will not
have a choice if he or she wants to die unless the state changes the laws. Angell claims
that," the Supreme Court missed the point: Dying can be slow and agonizing, and some
people simply want to get it over with." The only legal option patients have is if they 
want their life support shut down. Too bad most patients are not on life support so they
can not request it (33-34).
Angell has no clue why the legislature would make a patient suffer when he or she does
not want to suffer anymore. She goes on pleading that this is the same choice the Supreme
Courts allows when people abort their babies and when people get married. "Dying patients
suffering intractably should have the option of taking and overdose, just as they have
the option of turning off life supports" argues Angell. Even if the doctor prescribed
pills to the patient in most cases would not take them. But, due to the fact, that the
patient had the option of taking the pills would make them happy. When the patient thinks
the time is right can take the pills in peace (34).
Doctors then would have the option, too. No one would be "pressured to ask for assisted
suicide…[or] pressured to refuse life supports"(34). The Supreme Courts verdict was
a whitewash against doctor-assisted suicide, 9-0. The justices' opinions pretty much all
said "the notion that permitting doctor-assisted suicide would be too great a departure
from tradition, and besides, god palliative care should relieve all suffering"(34).
Angell concludes "compassionate doctors always have helped dying patients to end their
lives"(34). Even though this is all done under the table, by the doctor supplying the
patient with mass quantities of a certain prescription. Only if the doctor is strong
inside and knows what the patients needs instead of wants then the doctor should
prescribe a drug. She states that "polls consistently show about two-thirds of the public
favor permitting doctor-assisted suicide"(35). Finally she sums it all up by saying 
"sooner or later…the practice will become legal, because dying patients need that
choice and their doctors need to be able to help them"(35).
Timothy E. Quill, M.D., practicing physician, wrote this article in the New England
Journal of Medicine, which pertains to aiding someone to death. Diane, Quills' patient
for eight years, was feeling weak and had a breakout on her skin. Quill did some blood
work. Many years of Diane's life was lost as an alcoholic and a depressed person, but she
fought her way out of it (111).
Although the odds were against her, Quill let her be aware of the consequences she would
face when they get the bone marrow test back and what they would do if the results were
not so good (111).
The test came back and the oncologist diagnosed Diane with 'acute myelomonocytic
leukemia.' The oncologist wanted to put a Hickman catheter and start chemo as soon as
possible. Quill recalled that "[Diane] was enraged at [the oncologists] presumption that
she would want treatment, and devastated by the finality of the diagnosis. All she wanted
to do was go home and be with her family. She no further questions about the treatment
and in fact had decided that she wanted none…"(111). Quill stated "I have been a
longtime advocate of active informed patient choice of treatment or nontreatment, and of
a patient's right to die with as much control and dignity as possible"(111). Quill was
confused that Diane wanted to give up her twenty five percent chance of living after she
fought to overcome alcoholism and depression. He knew that she would have to change her
mind, soon (111). 
Quill pointed out "it was extraordinarily important to Diane to maintain control of
herself and her own dignity during the time remaining to her"(111). Diane clearly told
Quill that she wanted to die. Quill used to be head of a hospice program, he knows how 
to keep people from suffering using different medications, but Diane did not care. She
wanted to die in the easiest and least painful way. Quill expressed that "I felt the
effects of a violent death…an ineffective suicide…the possibility that a
family member would be forced to assist her [then] the legal and repercussions that would
follow"(112). Diane continually informed her family with her choices and her family
supported her on all her decisions. The Hemlock Society discussed any an all the problems
she faced. Diane called Quill seven days later asking for sleeping pills. Quill knew this
is what the Hemlock Society encouraged and wanted to discuss this over with Diane again.
"She was having trouble sleeping…I made sure that she knew how to use the
barbiturates for sleep, and also that she knew the amount needed to commit suicide" Quill
cautioned (112). They promised each other they would see each other on a basis and before
she took the pills (112-113).
The months ahead were very strenuous. Her son and husband did everything at home to spend
as much time with her as they could. Also, Diane's best friends stopped by when they
could (113). Quill confirmed "bone pain, weakness, fatigue, and fevers began to dominate
her life…it was clear that the end was approaching"(114). Diane phoned all her
friends to ask them to visit her and say their 'good byes.' She came to my office one
last time "it was clear the she knew what she was doing, that she was sad and frightened
to be leaving, but that she would be even more terrified to stay and suffer"(114) Quill
enforced.
A couple days later Diane's husband phoned me and said Diane passed away. She told her
son and husband goodbye and leave her alone, an hour later she was dead lying in her
favorite blanket. Quill called the medical examiner and told him Diane died of 'acute
leukemia' (114). Quill indicates that "I said 'acute leukemia' to protect all of us, to
protect Diane from invasion into her past and her body, and to continue to shield society
for the knowledge of the degree of suffering that people often undergo in the process of
dying"(115).
Quill concludes by praising that:
Diane taught me about the range of help I can provide if I know people well and if I
allow them to say what they really want…about life, death, and honesty and about
taking charge and facing tragedy squarely when it strikes…that I can take small
risks for people that I really know and care about. Although I did not assist her in
suicide directly, I helped indirectly to make it possible, successful, and relatively
painless. Although I know we have measures to help control pain and lessen suffering, to
think that people do not suffer in the process of dying is an illusion (115).
Betty Rollin, an employee at NBC News, wrote Last Wish, a book about her mother's death,
which this article goes back and tells the story of how she help assist-suicide upon her
mother. "Next to the happiness of my children, I want to die more than anything else in
the world" my mother's words [spoke] to me one late fall afternoon to convince me that
she really meant it: She wanted to die, and would I please help"(241). 
Rollin reveals that "[they] did research [and] found out what it would take for her to
die 'safely' (241). Rollins mothers doctor wrote her out a prescription that would end
her life quickly and peacefully. Rollin misses her very much and even if she runs through
her mind a tear will develop in her eye every time. Rollin does not display any pictures
of her mother because she breaks down every time she sees her mothers profile. The life
her mother was living was terrible. It was like she was in a room with no windows or
doors, when she died it was like she got out of the room, and she was happy to get out.
Rollin and her husband were happy, also (241-42). 
Rollin wrote a book about her mother the Last Wish, which was made into a television
movie. She has received many letters that agreed with her and some that did not. The
letters that did not agree with her, people wrote "death by any person's hand is killing
a life god created" (242). Rollin pleads "but I still remember my mother's own view. 'God
gave me a brain…and I'm glad its still working so that I can die the want I want
to"(242).
A young geriatric nurse wrote "I believe its doctors who cannot deal with death. They put
the feeding tube in and walk away feeling like heroes. They don't want to know that the
patient can't talk, can't move, can't do anything for herself. I've had patients beg me
to help them die. I support euthanasia. Talk to nurses in geriatrics. They know the
truth"(242-43). The nurse conclude by saying 'they know the truth,' what she means by
this is people who are suffering and dying, want to die. But they cannot die unless they
have a little help (243).
Rollin reveals that "I do not think family members should be the ones to help a desperate
person die. It happened to work out in my family…instead we urgently need is a law
that would allow physicians to carry out the wishes of a dying person" (243).
Assisted-suicide laws must have regulations. The regulations were passed a year ago in
Washington State. More regulations will be submitted in California this November and it
will say: "The patient must be mentally competent, must be declared terminally ill by two
physicians, and must be able to revoke the decision at any time"(243).
Michael White, a lawyer and president of American Against Human Suffering, asked me to
join him to speak in front of the American Bar Association (ABA). We tried to the vote of
the ABA of physician-assisted suicide. They revoked our proposal (244).
Rollin claims that "there are people dying in hospital beds…near the end of life,
with nothing ahead but pain and terror. They have a right to die, if that's what they
truly want"(244). The people against me talk about god and interfering with God's
creation. Don't we interfere when we hook some one up to a respirator to keep then alive,
exclaims Rollin (244).
Another reason assisted-suicide is good is to take away pain, if dying patients have a
choice to end their life they wouldn't, but knowing they have a choice would put them at
ease and when they think it is the right time to end their life they can do so, just like
Rollins mother did. Rollins mother took the prescription when she felt most comfortable.
Rollins concludes it by saying "times have changed…but ultimately, I can't help
these people the way I helped my mother. What I can do is join the fight to change the
law. It's going to be a state-by-state battle, and California is next up.
I am totally for physician assisted-suicide. Physicians should respect the wishes of
their patients, even when the patient wants to die. Decisions about how to die are
personal, private matters that the government should stay out of. Dying patients should
have the right to choose a quick, painless death and doctors should be allowed to help
them achieve it.