The Right to Die Case

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The final article I chose was is on characteristics of patients requesting and receiving physician assisted-suicide. In this article it discusses the physician’s perspective through a legitimate survey giving to determine the characteristics of the patient. This article presents the findings of the survey stating that the majority of those requesting the “right to die” are majority are males 61% age 46-75, college grads 50%, almost half at 47% were diagnosed with cancer, the numbers go on and on. The survey also showed the position of doctors on the perspective of the “right to die” about 41% stated they would not participate under any circumstance with this act for any reason.

When it comes to laws and morals in the respect of the “Right to Die” it will always be controversial in the approach but morally easier to handle because it is allowing our loved ones the ability to not only end their suffering and pain but also the ongoing uncertainty of not knowing when for their families which in my opinion very selfless. The “Right to Die” is a personal choice and therefore should be respected and not debated so publicly. When I think about this I think about a story I saw on social media of the young 28 year old woman who choice to move to Oregon to end her life with dignity. She was newlywed and had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She choose this because she did not want to go without dignity and wanted her family to remember her as she was not how she would become. This was a story that touched so many people on social media. Her choice was so selfless and loving that it was hard to hear the end story when she had actually ended her life shortly after her move to Oregon. It is a personal choice and it should be respected despite someone else’s belief. Would you choose this? I know I would if it was an option.

Legalizing Assisted Suicide — Views of Physicians in Oregon

Melinda A. Lee, M.D., Heidi D. Nelson, M.D., M.P.H., Virginia P. Tilden, R.N., D.N.Sc., Linda Ganzini, M.D., Terri A. Schmidt, M.D., and Susan W. Tolle, M.D.

N Engl J Med 1996; 334:310-315February 1, 1996 DOI: 10.1056/NEJM19960201334050

Legal physician-assisted suicide in Oregon and The Netherlands: evidence concerning the impact on patients in vulnerable groups—another perspective on Oregon's data J Med Ethics 2011;37:3 171-174 Published Online First: 11 November 2010

Meier DE, Emmons C, Litke A, Wallenstein S, Morrison R. Characteristics of Patients Requesting and Receiving Physician-Assisted Death. Arch Intern Med.2003;163(13):1537-1542. doi:10.1001/archinte.163.13.1537.

Timothy E. Quill and Jane Greenlaw, “Physician-Assisted Death,” in From Birth toDeath and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book for Journalists, Policymakers, and Campaigns, ed. Mary Crowley (Garrison, NY: The Hastings Center, 2008), 137-142.