Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_diehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_the_United_States "The right to die is a moral principle based on the belief that a human being is entitled to commit suicide or to undergo voluntary euthanasia. Possession of this right is often understood to mean that a person with a terminal illness should be allowed to commit suicide or assisted suicide or to decline life-prolonging treatment, where a disease would otherwise prolong their suffering to an identical result. The question of who, if anyone, should be empowered to make these decisions is often central to debate." Alright folks, it is time to give the new Debate forum a proper test. Up for debate today is whether people have a right to die in the case of terminal illness. Since 1997, Oregon has given citizens the right to die under the Death with Dignity Act. I agree that people do have a right to die when facing a terminal illness, yet they must fully understand the consequences of exercising that right, which typically involves not having mental illnesses. So, I ask you all to debate this controversial issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet MS Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 To respect patient autonomy is to acknowledge their choices on various matters, even if in the process they are refusing beneficial treatments. In cases where patients are unable to provide consent, the ability to consent lies to their next of kin or guardian... if available. And sometimes they may not always necessarily speak in the patient's personal interests. Personally, I will opt not to act until the patient gives their consent in a clear state of mind. Some cases bring up something like an Advance Medical Directive - something agreed to by the patient that they give their automatic consent to death if they are rendered unable to give their consent and other life-extending treatments have been proven futile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 To respect patient autonomy is to acknowledge their choices on various matters, even if in the process they are refusing beneficial treatments. In cases where patients are unable to provide consent, the ability to consent lies to their next of kin or guardian... if available. And sometimes they may not always necessarily speak in the patient's personal interests. Personally, I will opt not to act until the patient gives their consent in a clear state of mind. Some cases bring up something like an Advance Medical Directive - something agreed to by the patient that they give their automatic consent to death if they are rendered unable to give their consent and other life-extending treatments have been proven futile. Refusing beneficial treatments is only a part of this. What about actively trying to end their own life or requesting their doctor to assist them. I understand that doctors take an oath to do no harm, though the matter up for debate here is whether or not keeping a terminally ill patient alive causes more harm than them committing suicide assisted or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryusei the Morning Star Posted June 15, 2016 Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Yes, but cuause of $ If you're going to be dead in 10 days, do you REALLY want 10 days worth of bills on your widow's desk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Yes, but cuause of $ If you're going to be dead in 10 days, do you REALLY want 10 days worth of bills on your widow's desk? What if it is a disease that kills slowly and painfully? Money isn't the only reason why the Right to Die should be allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiracleGhost47 Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 I heard of people claiming miracles to happen, whereas the victim/patient beats the seemingly impossible odds of survival. Of course, these are the very rare cases, so this is hardly a factor to consider to the average person.I honestly don't know what to make of this dilemma. It's never easy to accept that all hope is lost, but I can't deny those who spent so much pain and money just to die in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vla1ne Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 as much as people have a right to live, they have a right to die. i support the right of a patient to die if they wish, but i can't quite agree with having a doctor assist them in their deaths. it would be the safer, and less painful choice, but the doctor is the one who has to carry that weight with them, and i can't say, with a clean conscience that i support having to make doctors deal with that kind of problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 as much as people have a right to live, they have a right to die. i support the right of a patient to die if they wish, but i can't quite agree with having a doctor assist them in their deaths. it would be the safer, and less painful choice, but the doctor is the one who has to carry that weight with them, and i can't say, with a clean conscience that i support having to make doctors deal with that kind of problem. Well, Oregon allows the doctor to assist patients in their assisted suicide under the Death with Dignity Act of 1997. Pretty sure other countries allow the same thing. If a patient is of sound mind, then a doctor should be able to assist. And pretty sure there are medication that makes the assisted suicide a painless process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vla1ne Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 i know, i'm not really against it if the doctor is willing to help, i simply mean that while i'd support legislation that protected a doctor who helped their patient die (if they're in their right mind), i wouldn't support legislation that forced any doctor to do so against their will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 i know, i'm not really against it if the doctor is willing to help, i simply mean that while i'd support legislation that protected a doctor who helped their patient die (if they're in their right mind), i wouldn't support legislation that forced any doctor to do so against their will. Yes, there is the issue of the oath to do no harm that doctors make. Some doctors would probably consider assisted suicide a violation of that oath. A bit of a gray area, don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vla1ne Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 definitely. i can't see it not being a gray area considering it's people wanting to die, with or without assistance. i think it's necessary to keep the laws allowing it on the books, but it really doesn't sit right with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet MS Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 In morally gray areas like these, it is usually protocol to bring it up to a team of superiors to decide. Get a second opinion to work out the best course of action. The preferred method of letting a patient die is withholding of treatment, rather than speeding up their death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanael D. Striker Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 In morally gray areas like these, it is usually protocol to bring it up to a team of superiors to decide. Get a second opinion to work out the best course of action. The preferred method of letting a patient die is withholding of treatment, rather than speeding up their death. So, you do not agree with the use of medication for assisted suicides. Under Oregon's law and a few others I can dig up, medication can be prescriped by a doctor for the explicit purpose of suicide for terminally ill patients. Here is a link from Oregon's site: https://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Pages/index.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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