Mentor/s
Professor Stiltner & Professor Gillespie
Participation Type
Paper Talk
Abstract
In a growing society of medicine there are countless people with terminal illnesses that cannot be cured. These people can suffer a long time with anything from physical pain or even a declining mental view of life. In some cases, in certain states, patients can choose to peacefully end their life through the process of physician assisted suicide (PAS). From past Supreme Court rulings from Vacco v. Quill and Washington v. Glucksberg which challenge the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause respectively. After both rulings were decided, the Supreme Court left the decision of physician assisted suicide up to each individual state to decide if it show be legal. Eleven states have PAS legalized with countless strict requirements, such as age, confirmation of a terminal illness with a six-month prognosis, location of patient care, physiological evaluations, formal requests for the medicine, and physical capability to administer the medicine themselves. Based on different research, it has shown that the physical toll an illness has on a patient's body can influence the mental aspect, too. Studies have shown that the leading physical cause of terminal illnesses, fatigue, can lead a patient to develop a feeling of a less meaningful life due to not being able to perform their normal daily tasks. Furthermore, contrary to most medical ethics, PAS can be supported by different ethical principles. Patients hold a right to make their own rational decisions and their wishes can be honored by legalizing PAS throughout the United States. In the process of PAS, patients hold their own power to end their suffering peacefully, having control over their illness, and families can have closure. Other treatment such as palliative medicine sometimes can only causing more suffering. By legalizing physician assisted suicide, terminal patients can have the option to peacefully end pain and suffering while in the end stage of their terminal illness fight.
College and Major available
Accounting, Finance BS
Location
Session H: West Campus West Building W112
Start Day/Time
4-29-2022 12:00 PM
End Day/Time
4-29-2022 1:00 PM
Physician Assisted Suicide Legalization in the United States
Session H: West Campus West Building W112
In a growing society of medicine there are countless people with terminal illnesses that cannot be cured. These people can suffer a long time with anything from physical pain or even a declining mental view of life. In some cases, in certain states, patients can choose to peacefully end their life through the process of physician assisted suicide (PAS). From past Supreme Court rulings from Vacco v. Quill and Washington v. Glucksberg which challenge the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause respectively. After both rulings were decided, the Supreme Court left the decision of physician assisted suicide up to each individual state to decide if it show be legal. Eleven states have PAS legalized with countless strict requirements, such as age, confirmation of a terminal illness with a six-month prognosis, location of patient care, physiological evaluations, formal requests for the medicine, and physical capability to administer the medicine themselves. Based on different research, it has shown that the physical toll an illness has on a patient's body can influence the mental aspect, too. Studies have shown that the leading physical cause of terminal illnesses, fatigue, can lead a patient to develop a feeling of a less meaningful life due to not being able to perform their normal daily tasks. Furthermore, contrary to most medical ethics, PAS can be supported by different ethical principles. Patients hold a right to make their own rational decisions and their wishes can be honored by legalizing PAS throughout the United States. In the process of PAS, patients hold their own power to end their suffering peacefully, having control over their illness, and families can have closure. Other treatment such as palliative medicine sometimes can only causing more suffering. By legalizing physician assisted suicide, terminal patients can have the option to peacefully end pain and suffering while in the end stage of their terminal illness fight.
Students' Information
Nicole Cona, Accounting & Finance, Honors student, graduating 2023