Free Essays on Physician-Assisted Suicide

Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas tothe medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engagein physician-assisted suicide? According to the First Amendment of The Constitution of The United States, â€Å"one hasthe freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.â€Å" The Fourteenth Amendment states, â€Å"The Statecannot deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within itsjurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.â€Å" The group believes that a terminally ill patient has the Constitutionalright to decide whether or not to end his or her life with the help of a licensed medical doctor. There have been many cases overthe years where a terminally ill patient who is mentally competent has made the choice to either partake in physician-assistedsuicide or euthanasia. â€Å"Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the physician provides thepatient with the means and/or knowledge to commit suicide†(Death and Dying,91). â€Å"Euthanasia is when the physicianadministers the death causing drug or agent†(Death and Dying,92). The most recent case is that of The Stateof Florida v. Charles Hall. â€Å"Charles Hall is dying of AIDS and challenged the State of Florida to let him die bya self-administered lethal injection without fear of prosecution†(rights.org/ deathnet/open.html). On January31, 1997, a Judge ruled that Charles Hall could take his own life with the aid of a doctor. Senior Judge S. JosephDavis, brought in from Seminole County, â€Å"found that Florida’s strict privacy law and the equal protection clause in theU.S. Constitution entitled Hall, 35, and Dr. McIver to carry out an assisted death without fear of prosecution† (Sun-Sentinel,1A). On February 11, 1997, Charles Hall’s ruling was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court: he no longer hasthe right to end his o... Free Essays on Physician-Assisted Suicide Free Essays on Physician-Assisted Suicide Physician-assisted suicide presents one of the greatest dilemmas tothe medical profession. Should someone who is mentally competent, but deemed terminally ill, be allowed to engagein physician-assisted suicide? According to the First Amendment of The Constitution of The United States, â€Å"one hasthe freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.â€Å" The Fourteenth Amendment states, â€Å"The Statecannot deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny any person within itsjurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.â€Å" The group believes that a terminally ill patient has the Constitutionalright to decide whether or not to end his or her life with the help of a licensed medical doctor. There have been many cases overthe years where a terminally ill patient who is mentally competent has made the choice to either partake in physician-assistedsuicide or euthanasia. â€Å"Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the physician provides thepatient with the means and/or knowledge to commit suicide†(Death and Dying,91). â€Å"Euthanasia is when the physicianadministers the death causing drug or agent†(Death and Dying,92). The most recent case is that of The Stateof Florida v. Charles Hall. â€Å"Charles Hall is dying of AIDS and challenged the State of Florida to let him die bya self-administered lethal injection without fear of prosecution†(rights.org/ deathnet/open.html). On January31, 1997, a Judge ruled that Charles Hall could take his own life with the aid of a doctor. Senior Judge S. JosephDavis, brought in from Seminole County, â€Å"found that Florida’s strict privacy law and the equal protection clause in theU.S. Constitution entitled Hall, 35, and Dr. McIver to carry out an assisted death without fear of prosecution† (Sun-Sentinel,1A). On February 11, 1997, Charles Hall’s ruling was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court: he no longer hasthe right to end his o...