What To Know On Physician Aided Death

By Ruthie Calderon


Death is not something that people like to dwell on, especially their own. Assisted suicide is a topic of controversy in many regions. This refers to suicide that is committed with the support, such as information and supplies, of physicians. Sometimes this is called physician aided death and the doctors who do it intentionally provide their patients with the means to kill themselves.

This type of aid may come in different forms. Sometimes it is when the doctors given counseling to patients about the dosages of drugs they know to be lethal. They might go a further step and prescribe the supply or dosage patients need. This type of assisted dying is not the same as mercy killings or euthanasia. In both those situations, physicians administer death through application of lethal drugs.

This is something that patients request and then agree to. Typically they are the ones to administer the lethal activity. A lot of people choose this option. The topic itself brings up things like law, morals, society, ethics and religion. After all, this essentially involves suicide and murder.

Some cannot comprehend why a person would make this decision. However, most who choose this are chronically ill and have life-limiting sicknesses. They might have lose their hope to survive and want to have control over something. The discomfort and pain might not be fixable through medicine, even with all of the technology available in the modern day. Requesting this type of death might feel like the only way a person can regain control of his or her life. They get the chance to choose how and when they will pass on.

This practice is legal in Columbia, Japan and Australia. There are numerous places around the globe that do not allow for this. It is illegal and controversial. People who are in pain and suffering might find this is the best and only solution for them. Sometimes they welcome death, whether loved respect their decisions or not.

Many of those who are in these situations want to have a better life, but do not believe they will find it in their current situation. Sometimes physical suffering can become too much. They might become frustrated knowing they have limited options and no treatments that can make them live longer or feel better. Usually, these people already have a life expectancy that is cut short because of their condition and they would prefer not to wait around to die.

Opponents often note medical ethics, prejudices against disabled, roles of medical physicians, slippery slope argument, public safety and religious ethics. It is recommended that people learn all that they can about this by doing their research. Numerous resources provide information on the topic, including the arguments placed by opponents and proponents. The stories of people who have chosen this may also be used for educational purposes.

Being knowledgeable is important when forming a stance. A lot of people do not agree with it. They feel it is not the right answer. However, these people do not always know the physical and mental struggle of terminally or chronically ill people. Suicide, whether assisted by physicians or done alone, can be hard for some to accept.




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