2. What is Assisted Suicide?
General term for helping
a patient to terminate
their life
Majority of assisted
suicide requests are from
severely or terminally ill (Knickerbocker, 2010)
patients
3. Types of Assisted Suicide
Euthanasia: Physician-assisted suicide:
Physician prescribes the
Physician prescribes the treatment
treatment
Patient administers the
Physician directly administers treatment
the treatment to the patient
Physician does not
administer the treatment
4. Types of Euthanasia
Active Voluntary
Administering treatment to end Patient consents to treatment
life
Passive Involuntary
Withholding from treatment
Patient is unable to consent to
that sustains life
treatment
5. Legality
Euthanasia
Illegal in the United States, Canada
Legal in Netherlands, Belgium
Physician-assisted suicide
Legal in Oregon, Washington, Montana
Legal in Netherlands
(Chaikin, 2009)
6. Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act
1. Requires the patient give a fully informed, voluntary decision.
2. Applies only to the last 6 months of the patient’s life.
3. Makes it mandatory that a second opinion by a qualified physician be given that the
patient has fewer than 6 months to live.
4. Requires two oral requests by the patient.
5. Requires a written request by the patient.
6. Allows cancellation of the request at any time.
7. Makes it mandatory that a 15-day waiting period occurs after the first oral request.
8. Makes it mandatory that 48-hours (2 days) elapse after the patient makes a written
request to receive the medication.
9. Punishes anyone who uses coercion on a patient to use the Act.
10. Provides for psychological counseling if either of the patient’s physicians thinks the
patient needs counseling.
11. Recommends the patient inform his/her next of kin.
12. Excludes nonresidents of Oregon from taking part.
13. Mandates participating physicians are licensed in Oregon.
14. Mandates Health Division Review.
15. Does not authorize mercy killing or active euthanasia.
7. Controversy
Against For
A cry for help Not all pain or situations are
Suicide intent is not permanent controllable
Depressed There are safeguards
Financial obligation to families Humane
Pain is controllable Patient Self-Determination
Legalizing physician-assisted
suicide would legalize
euthanasia
Murder
Sin
8. Impact
Healthcare and Human
Patients Service Workers
In 47 states terminally ill Many healthcare and human
patients cannot choose to end service workers would be and
their suffering have to be involved in
physician-assisted suicide
In the 3 states that have
cases against their beliefs.
legalized physician assisted
suicide, terminally ill patients
are faced with a monumental
decision
9. References
Amarasekara, K., & Bagaric, M. (2004). Moving from voluntary euthanasia to non-voluntary euthanasia: equality and compassion. Ratio Juris,
17(3), 398-423.
Chaikin, S. (2009). Physician-Assisted Suicide: Should Death Be a Choice? Message posted to
http://myportfolio.usc.edu/schaikin/2009/10/physician-assisted_suicide_should_death_be_a_choice.html
Chetwynd, S. B. (2004). Right to life, right to die, and assisted suicide. Journal of Applied Philosophy, 21(2), 174-182.
DiNitto, D. M. (2011). Social welfare: politics and public policy (7th ed.). Boston: Person Education Incorporation.
Freedomist. (2010). Germany Supreme court rules: assisted suicide ok. Message posted to
http://welcometoafreeworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/germany-supreme-court-rules-assisted.html
Gorman, D. (1999). Active and passive euthanasia: the cases of Drs. Claudio Alberto de la Rocha and Nancy Morrison. Canadian Medical
Association Journal, 160(6), 857-860.
Knickerbocker, B. (2010). Montana becomes third state to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Message posted to
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0102/Montana-becomes-third-state-to-legalize-physician-assisted-suicide
Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: compassionate liberation or murder? Medsurg Nursing, 19(2), 121-124.
Mackelprang, R. W., & Mackelprang R. D. (2005). Historical and contemporary issues in end-of-life decisions: Implications for social work.
Social Work, 50(4), 315-323.
Traina, L. H. (1998). Religious perspectives on assisted suicide. Journal of criminal law and criminology, 88(3), 1147-1154.
