Death With Dignity or Murder?

REPORT PIECE
By: Kyler Bagley

 It is a general term for helping those patients who are

terminally ill to end their life on their own terms.
The death with dignity allows those who are diagnosed
with 6 months or less to live to end their life in dignity as
long as the patient is able to make clear minded
decisions.

What is Assisted
Suicide?

Legality
Physician assisted suicide is legal in 5 states in the united
states.
Oregon became the first state to legalize assisted suicide for
terminally ill in 1994, Washington and Vermont legalized
soon after. The Montana supreme court has ruled that
physicians may prescribe lethal drugs to competent people.

1. Requires the patient to give a fully informed, and

voluntary decision.
2. It only applies if the patient has been diagnosed to 6
months to live.
3. Requires two oral request by the patient.
4. Requires a written request by the patient.
5. Patients are able to request cancellation at any moment.
6. This form of death does not authorize in mercy killing
or active euthanasia.

Oregons death with

dignity act.

For Assisted Suicide

Against Assisted Suicide

Die with dignity before

their disease or illness
People may think its a cry for
help.
takes over.
Thought of being humane
Depressed
Right to die.
Financial obligations
Patient self-determination
Pressured or persuaded in
Die on your own terms
getting assisted suicide

Murder

The controversy for and

against PAS.

Impact on the people

Patients
In 45 states terminally ill patients are unable to choose this form of
death.
In the 5 states that have legalized assisted suicide, patients are able
to choose the death with dignity act when the have been diagnosed
by their physician.

Healthcare and Human Service Workers

Many healthcare and human service workers have to be involved in
physician assisted suicide and that goes against many peoples beliefs.

 Another act that has taken place is the Slippery Slope,

which assisted suicide supporters feel is an exaggeration.
Since Oregon passed the Death With Dignity Act,
involuntary suicide has became a huge involvement
within the United States. Legalizing this practice proves
that we can pass physician assisted suicide without it
spiraling out of control. Therefor the slippery slope act is
not a reasonable act and shows limited faith in
physicians/patients decisions.

The Slippery Slope Act

We as humans, should be able to make our own decision on when to end

our life if we are diagnosed 6 months or less to live. We dont need
politics or people who arent in the process of dying to make this
decisions for those who are ACTUALLY suffering from a terminal
illness.

 Daniel Engber How Does Assisted Suicide Work? October 6, 2005

Joanne Lynn Handbook for mortals 2006
J.M. Dieterle Physician assisted suicide: A new look at the arguments.
2007 (page 127)
Michele M. Mathes Assisted Suicide and Nursing Ethics Medsurg
nursing 2004 (261-4)
NPR Staff Debate: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide be legal?
Novermber 20, 2014
Ryan T. Anderson Ph D. Always Care, Never Kill March, 2015
Tierney Sneed Death with Dignity. US news Nov. 3, 2014

References