Ethical and Religious Considerations in Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician assisted suicide is a hotly debated topic in the medical world. There are many religious and ethical considerations that come into play when discussing this controversial topic. In order to understand the full scope of this debate, there are four main points that should be considered:
-The patient's autonomy is an important factor in determining whether or not physician assisted suicide is appropriate for them.
-There are potential risks to our mental health, like depression and anxiety, when we lose control over our own lives. -Some physicians argue that it is their responsibility to keep patients alive even if they desire death due to their moral obligation as doctors and they believe they needn't help their patients die just because society wants it so. -Some believe that allowing physician assisted suicide provides too many means for ending lives too quickly which can negatively impact society.
This article will discuss each of these points in the context of assisted suicide and it's relation to generally accepted medical ethics.
The Patient's Autonomy
"Autonomy" is one of the most important concepts in medical ethics. The patient's autonomy is a central aspect of this debate because when a patient is autonomous, they have the right to make their own moral decisions for themselves. There are four arguments that proponents use to support this doctrine:
1) Natural rights: Many people argue that we are born with a natural right to make our own moral decisions. We may have the right to decide not to eat, drink or become pregnant but if so, it is because they are activities that benefit us in some way. It is not clear what benefit there is to assisted suicide when you consider that it could bring about a premature death. One argument that might be made is if the patient was suffering because of an illness but there would be no difference even if they killed themselves as opposed to dying from their condition. 2) Patient autonomy: This argument states that every individual has the right to control themselves as long as it doesn't harm others. Therefore, there is a natural right of self-determination which includes deciding when and how you should die, within reason of course. 3) Beneficence: This is the idea that we should actively treat our patients and help them as much as possible, even if this means helping them live longer. This is because it is part of our healthcare job to make sure he or she lives. 4) Procreative intention: As a doctor, it's your duty to help patients conceive and be happy with their families. Helping them die prematurely could be viewed as an interference with that desire although an argument could be made that in some cases, doctors should stop providing treatment if it harms the patient's ability to produce children/be a good parent because it might also harm that person's family.
Potential Risks to Our Mental Health
We all have a desire to have control over our lives; it's part of what makes us human. It's important to know when and how we're going to die, which is why the potential risks to mental health is so important. There are two arguments used by proponents of physician assisted suicide:
The argument that you shouldn't help people kill themselves is an expression of a special kind of respect for life: Even if you might want to die someday but for now you value your life, it should be respected by others. This is because taking your own life forces someone else to actively participate in your death which can make them feel guilty. This is especially true when the patient is suffering from an illness.
You also have a duty to respect life as a doctor, for the reason that it's in your power to jeopardize someone else's life by helping them. The choice essentially comes down to whether you value the patient's autonomy over their physical and emotional well-being.
The Process of Dying and Development of Hospices
Many proponents argue that we shouldn't have physician assisted suicide because there are too many risks involved in the end-of-life process. It is important to know that many of the patients who choose to be assisted by death have already been suffering for a significant amount of time. In order to help them die more peacefully and make their transition into death more comfortable, there are many organizations that help the end-of-life process go smoothly. One example of this would be a hospice where they place terminally ill patients. These places give their patients the opportunity to experience something similar to what they had before they became ill as well as giving them the choice between life support treatments and comfort measures when they have deteriorated too much physically or emotionally. For example, if a patient went blind, they could be sedated in order to prevent them from suffering.
Another example of the process is the use of palliative care. Palliative care is a specialty that provides comfort measures for those who are terminally ill, like pain control and such. The goal is to make them comfortable in easily managed steps as they slowly die over time. This would involve slowly removing treatments that prolong life but increase suffering in favor of comfort measures which should make the process more bearable so the patient can die with little or no pain. It's also important to note that physician assisted suicide isn't the only option patients have. Other options include allowing the patient to choose when they want treatments to end, adjusting dosages in accordance with their current wellness and such.
The Risks of Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician assisted suicide might be a legal right but that doesn't mean it has no risks. There are three main risks associated with physician assisted suicide:
1) It can lead to the devaluation of human life The way we view life is constantly changing as technology advances and our society grows but one thing that remains constant is the belief in the sanctity of human life. One of the most important things we do as a species is ensure that life continues, even if it's in a way that we wouldn't have chosen for ourselves. Allowing physician-assisted suicide might send a message that life isn't worth living, which can make us lose our sense of perspective. We could start viewing life as something we feel entitled to so much so that if anything goes wrong with it, someone has to fix it. This can lead to what I like to call the "too much too soon" problem where people become overwhelmed with their lives and need something more drastic than traditional methods to deal with their problems because they don't have time. 2) It's also a form of suicide Sometimes, people who want to die do so as a means of committing suicide. They may be able to get better medical treatment but they still don't think their life is worth living. By choosing physician-assisted suicide, they are killing themselves after getting medical treatment and receiving comfort. Although the intention may be to end their suffering, the result can still be that they kill themselves when they wouldn't have otherwise chosen to take their own life. The act becomes more like suicide by proxy which can cause them to feel ashamed or guilty for taking another person's life in order to end their own.
Conclusion
Physician assisted suicide isn't something that should be used lightly or to make things "easy" for patients. It can very easily become a crutch which shortchanges the patient and puts their family through the pain of learning why they decided to end their life. We need to approach physician assisted suicide with respect for human life, no matter how much suffering comes with it. The goal is to give patients and their families the ability to make the road end with dignity and grace instead of fear and uncertainty. This will ensure that we don't devalue our lives or others because of how we choose to live them.
Reference http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctity http://www.