Physician-Assisted Suicide and Other Forms of Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the intentional ending of the life of a person suffering from a terminal illness. It is sometimes seen as a conscious and compassionate act to ease a patient’s pain. There are several forms of euthanasia, such as Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS), in which a patient seeks the help of a medical practitioner to end their life. This paper explains PAS and compares it to other forms of euthanasia. It also presents some general case studies of euthanasia.
Definition of Euthanasia
Euthanasia is a topic that has attracted the attention of not only the medical field but also the religious spectrum. Medically, euthanasia is defined as the act of intentionally ending someone’s life to relieve them from pain and suffering (Fr. Cioffi, 2019). According to the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (2018), the Catholic Church also offers a bioethical definition stating that euthanasia is the action or omission intending to cause death to alleviate pain to a patient.
Some of the most significant aspects of euthanasia are pain and suffering, which are considered part of the human experience within the context of faith. According to the USCCB (2018), practitioners must keep patients free from pain as much as possible to enable them to die comfortably and with dignity. Additionally, the practitioners should also help the patients appreciate the Christian understanding of redemptive suffering built on Christ’s suffering during his crucifixion.
Physician-Assisted Suicide and Its Alternatives
Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) is one of the most common forms of euthanasia. According to Cona (2022), PAS is a procedure in which terminally ill patients receive a physician’s prescription to self-administer when they intend to end their lives. Cona (2022) illustrates that PAS is ethical based on the principle of beneficence, which allows a physician to act for a patient’s benefit to help protect them from harm or anything that causes them suffering, such as pain.
Humans should have the right to end their lives, especially if doing so will relieve them from suffering. It is humane to fulfil the individual’s wish for a dignified death in extreme illnesses. Furthermore, the freedom to choose the time and manner of one’s death showcases that one retains one’s sense of self-dignity.
Hospice and Palliative care are some of the alternatives to Physician Assisted Suicide. According to Fr. Cioffi (2019), both hospice and palliative care focus on providing comfort and support to patients suffering from terminal illnesses. However, hospice care is delivered in a home setting, while palliative care is provided in a hospital.
Hospice and palliative care are similar to PAS in that they all intend to ease the pain and suffering of the patient and their family. Additionally, when palliative care is intended to sedate the patient into being unconscious, it is similar to PAS and, thus, a form of euthanasia. However, unlike PAS, hospice does not entail deliberate measures to expedite death as it is focused on comfort in life, while PAS hastens the patient’s death.
Euthanasia Case Studies
Some of the significant case studies of euthanasia are illustrated by the Hemlock Society, Jacob Kevorkian, and Britanny Maynard, as explained by Fr. Cioffi. The Hemlock Society (1980-2003) is known for pushing for the legalization of PAS and the right of individuals to make their own decisions about their deaths. It is a renowned association that collaborates with like-minded organizations to work continually for patient autonomy and end-of-life alternatives.
Another case of euthanasia is illustrated by Dr. Jack Kevorkian (1928-2011), who assisted at least 130 patients in ending their lives. He was instrumental in drawing attention to physician-assisted suicide and influencing public conversation and legislative talks on the subject. The third case is that of Brittany Maynard (1984-2014), who campaigned for the right to die with dignity. She is one of the patients who opted to adopt PAS and shared her story publicly to raise awareness about it and other end-of-life options.
References
Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). (2018). Ethical and religious directives for Catholic health care services, sixth edition. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Cona, N. (2022). Physician-Assisted Suicide Legalization in the United States. Sacred Heart University, 111, 1-16. Web.
Fr. Cioffi, A. (2019). BIO 603 EUTH PAS. YouTube. Web.