Physician Assisted Suicide And The Human Body - 2180 Words

Imagine someone you love with, but with a terminal illness such as cancer. The chemotherapy drugs are terrible to the human body and to the mind. Your loved one is suffering daily. Physician Assisted Suicide is rather new alternative for people who have less than six months and who are suffering from a terminal illness (Barone). Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is the act of assisting people with their death in order to end their suffering, but without controlling legal activity (Physician). PAS is now legal in Oregon, Montana, New Mexico, Washington, and Vermont (Physician). This new law was enacted into law in January 1997 in Oregon in which it was called the Death with Dignity Act. Since the legalization of the Death with Dignity†¦show more content†¦Since 5th century B.C. the concepts of physician assisted suicide have been prevalent throughout history. In Ancient Greece and Rome before the coming of Christianity many doctors believed that Physician Assisted Suicide preserved those who were dying honor s. Even though the Hippocratic Oath stated that no doctor shall give anyone a deadly drug many doctors did not follow this. There was widespread support for voluntary death as opposed to prolonged agony and the physician compiled by giving their patients poison (Timeline). As time progressed there was more widespread support and opposition towards Physician Assisted Suicide. In 1906 bills to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide came about due to the turn of the century. At the turn of the century science had made great strides including in the field of medicine. The bill in 1906 took place in Ohio but was defeated (Timeline). The turmoil of this issue quickly receded, but in 1915 one of the first cases of letting someone die rather than trying to prolonged his or her life came about. In Chicago a mother had just gave birth to her fourth son. Her son was born with numerous defeats that in turn altered his course of life. Without surgery this newb orn would not live and with surgery the chance of surviving was minimal. The doctor advised the parents of the outcomes and the parents