Argumentative Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

Words: 779
Pages: 4

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) , a very debatable topic. Terminally ill patients, who may have depression, have the option to decide their fate. A very concerning fact. PAS gives doctors too much power and weakens patients voices. It can corrupt medical treatment as the world knows it. On the other hand, PAS could end the suffering of many patients close to death. It will also let them die with dignity. PAS has become a better alternative to some other methods people have had to use such as voluntary stopping of eating and drinking. Physician-Assisted Suicide has a positive effect on terminally ill patients by helping relieve ongoing pain and by giving patients more control in their medical treatment plan.
The definition of PAS, as stated by Vicki D.Lachman, “PAS - killing oneself by ingesting prescribed medication-primarily dissimilar from refusal of life sustaining treatment or VSED” (“Voluntary”). Voluntarily Stopping of Eating and Drinking,VSED for short, has become legal in all fifty states. VSED also has become another alternative if PAS becomes illegal where the patient lives. However VSED causes more pain as
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Sometimes just having the option brings relief, as stated by Viki D. Lachman, “Often just knowing a way out exists if the dying process is unbearable can provide relief from depression that could lead to more violent solutions” (“Voluntary”). That statement shows how giving patients more control can benefit their overall health. Giving patients more control helps them feel like they have more say in their life,especially when terminally ill, close to death and suffering. Many advancements made have put PAS closer to legalization in these past years. Also stated by Viki D. Lachman “ During the past thirty years, moral progress has been made in expanding the patient's right to control life-and-death decisions” (“Voluntary”). Although PAS