Running head: ASSISTED SUICIDE

Community Problem Report: Assisted Suicide

Samantha Mae Naughten
The University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract
Physician assisted suicide is essentially what it sounds like; suicide in which a physician aids. It
is a debate on morality and mortality, and faces many opposing as well as advocating views.

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Opponents believe it is immoral, while advocates see it as dignified. A data chart is shown
depicting the correlation between administered lethal drugs and deaths in one of the five US
states currently legalizing this method of ending suffering of terminally ill patients. This report
shows both sides of the topic, while informing readers of the full definition of assisted suicide,
the roles the family plays in it, the impact it has on society, and the legalities surrounding it. By
the end of this report, readers will be informed of why they should care about this topic, and will
conclude that assisted suicide is and will continue to be a two-sided issue for years to come;
especially if it gains legality and popularity in more states.
Keywords: physician assisted suicide

Community Problem Report: Assisted Suicide

Physician assisted suicide can be defined as a patient killing his or her self with a lethal
dosage of drugs administered by a physician licensed to prescribe these drugs. It is most often
used to aid those with terminal illnesses and is currently legal in four US states and one county in
a fifth state (CNN Library, 2014). Physician assisted suicide, otherwise known as death with

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dignity, differs from euthanasia in that it is backed by legal authority in the states where it is
allowed. There is much controversy surrounding this topic due to the fact that a person is
choosing to end their own life and a physician is aiding in their murder, so to speak. On one
side, people against the matter think that assisted suicide is in reality, a call for counseling,
assistance, and positive alternatives to real problems and go on to state that 24 percent of
terminally ill patients who requested death suffered from clinical depression (O'Steen, D., &
Balch, B., n.d.). On the contrary, people in favor of assisted suicide hold the belief that it
dignifies an otherwise painful death from a terminal illness. In a YouTube video featuring
Brittany Maynard, a terminally ill patient who chose to die with dignity, her husband states that
Brittany being able to choose when to go rather than suffering a painful death, offers a lot of
relief (KK, 2014). This topic is important because no one is immune to a terminal illness and
anyone or their family member could one day be put in the position where they have to make a
difficult decision such as this one. With assisted suicide literally deciding someones fate, there is
bound to be a lot of controversy surrounding it. Family members, friends, physicians, and of
course the terminally ill must be informed of all aspects regarding assisted suicide before
approaching such a difficult decision, which is what this paper will discuss.

Assisted Suicide Defined

As stated earlier, assisted suicide can be defined as a way to hasten death by lethal drugs
administered by a physician. It is most commonly used for people with a terminal illness and a
prognosis of six or less months to live. The drugs prescribed by the physician to end the patients
life are typically in a pill form, but the decision if and when to ingest them lies in the hands of
the patient (Brody, 1995). That being said, even though a patient is prescribed the drug, they may
not always decide to take it, as shown in Figure 1 (below).

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Although the deaths have gone up in correlation to the prescriptions given, this data shows that
the amount of patients actually taking them isnt as high. This puts the patient in control of their
fate equally as much as the physician. Some believe that this goes against the physicians job as a
healer, and that the physician should address the ailments of the patient rather than
abandoning patients where cure is determined as impossible (Opinion 2.211, 1996). Others
hold the view that assisted suicide is actually the physician healing these ailments in the only
way possible.
Effects on and Roles of the Family Members
Typically, the decision to opt for assisted suicide isnt one that is made without the family
members of the terminally ill being on board. Advocates of the act often see the family as a
safeguard for the decision, assuring physicians that the patient is making a rational decision after
seeking out alternative forms of medical treatment (Brody, 1995). In the Brittany Maynard
YouTube interview, her mother and husband are seen supporting Brittanys decision and stating

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that when she chooses to pass, shell do so while surrounded by her family and close friends
(KK, 2014). However, opponents of the decision believe that some families may be abusive and
pushy on a decision that is ultimately up to the patient. Caring for someone who is terminally ill
is emotionally and physically draining, and can often make the family consciously or
subconsciously wish for the patient to die sooner, which results in the patient feeling like his/her
life is no longer meaningful (Brody, 1995). This would make the patients decision to choose
assisted suicide irrational, which makes the family the opposite of a safeguard. With family
obviously playing a huge role in any decision towards assisted suicide made by the patient,
regardless of their own motives or opinions on the matter, the current law states that this choice
is ultimately and entirely up to the patient, giving them their own autonomy. Many arguments
state that the family can either be an extension of that autonomy, or a threat to it (Brody, 1995).
If assisted suicide ends up being the route the patient chooses, the family has to deal with
many different emotions once the deed is done and the patient has passed away. In instances
where the family was not on board with the decision, feelings of anger may be present. In
instances where the family supported it, they may feel more at peace with the death than they
would have if their loved one had suffered.
Effects of Assisted Suicide on Society and who is Involved
Physician assisted suicide is currently a debate within society on mortality and morality.
Some see it as dignified and respectable, while others see it as murder or an easy way out of
approaching a terminal illness. Some believe that instead of responding with assisted suicide,
physicians must aggressively respond to the needs of patients at the end of life and that it
would pose serious societal risks since it is incompatible with the physicians role as a healer
(Opinion 2.211, 1996). However, in a recent video posted on Time website, a 14 year old

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Chilean girl suffering from Cystic Fibrosis is seen urging her president to authorize the lethal
dosage of a drug to end her suffering, since the current law of Chile prohibits assisted suicide.
She states that she is tired of continuing to fight and that [the president] can authorize the
injection to put [the girl] to sleep forever (Worland, 2015). In a predominantly Catholic country,
promoting this right-to-die movement is causing much controversy, but the girl is getting a lot of
sympathy and support due to her her story of suffering. Since the video has gone viral, much of
the community and even people outside the country have become involved, with many
supporters bashing the president for not authorizing the injection, and many opponents praising
the governments ban on the right to die (Worland, 2015).
Legalities and Repercussions of Physicians Involved
In the United States, physician assisted suicide is currently legally limited to Oregon,
Montana, Vermont, Washington, and a county in New Mexico (CNN Library, 2015). In these
states, physicians licensed to aid in suicide and prescribe lethal drugs cannot be prosecuted, but
assisted suicide still remains a felony in most states. The US constitution ruled in 1997 that there
is no constitutional law to assisted suicide, which left states free to pass their own laws regarding
the matter (ElderLawAnswers, 2014). In a YouTube video of a CNN interview of the family of a
supposed chronically ill patient who chose assisted suicide and went through an unlicensed
physician, questions are posed about whether this was considered assisted suicide or
manslaughter (CNN, 2014). The woman, Jana Van Voorhis, was aided in her death by the Final
Exit Network, which was directed by a retired physician and anesthesiologist. It was later found
that Jana lied about many of her symptoms to the doctor and had been diagnosed with psychosis,
which caused the network to be investigated. The director was tried and acquitted, while three of

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his team members were found guilty (CNN, 2014). This shows that, done without the proper
legal backing, people aiding in assisted suicide can face some heavy repercussions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, assisted suicide is a matter that involves life and death, dignity and
suffering, and should not be taken lightly. No one nor their family is immune to a terminal
illness, and, as unfortunate as it is, anyone can one day find themselves in a position where they
have to choose between this route or another type of end of life care for themselves or a loved
one. Opponents of the issue see it as an immoral cop-out to caring for terminally ill people, while
advocates see it as a dignifying way to end suffering. At the end of the day, the choice lies in the
hands of the patient and the physician, however, the family plays a big role in such a huge
decision. Although it is only legal in five states, assisted suicide has been getting more publicity
due to recent cases mentioned in this report, and may become an increasingly popular method to
end suffering throughout the United States as well as other countries. Because of this, it is
important to be well informed on both sides of the heated debate surrounding this issue.

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References
Brody, H. (1995). Physician-assisted suicide: Family issues. Michigan Family Review, 01(1),
19-28. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/mfr/4919087.0001.103/--physician-assisted-suicide-familyissues?rgn=main;view=fulltext
CNN (2014, November 3). Sanjay Gupta MD: Assisted suicide or manslaughter?
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsiBASHnAxQ.
Is assisted suicide legal? (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2015, from
http://www.elderlawanswers.com/is-assisted-suicide-legal-9921
KK (2014, November 3). Brittany Maynard dies using Oregons assisted suicide law.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjq5Oddp5WY.
Library, C. (2014, November 26). Physician-assisted suicide fast facts. Cable News Network.
Retrieved February 25, 2015, from
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/26/us/physician-assisted-suicide-fast-facts/

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Opinion 2.211 - Physician-assisted suicide. (1996, June 1). Retrieved March 4, 2015, from
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medicalethics/opinion2211.page?
O'Steen, D., & Balch, B. (n.d.). Why we should not legalize assisted suicide. Retrieved February
25, 2015, from http://www.nysrighttolife.org/assisted_suicide

Sayburn, A. (2009, October 15). How does physician-assisted suicide affect the family?
Consumer Reports News. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2009/10/how-does-physician-assisted-suicideaffect-the-family/index.htm
Worland, J. (2015, February 27). Chilean 14-year-old with cystic fibrosis asks to be allowed to
die. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from http://time.com/3724216/cystic-fibrosis-chile/