Aid in dying

Assisted suicide is suicide committed with the aid of another person, sometimes a physician. The term is often used interchangeably with physician-assisted suicide (PAS), which involves a doctor "knowingly and intentionally providing a person with the knowledge or means or both required to commit suicide, including counseling about lethal doses of drugs, prescribing such lethal doses or supplying the drugs."

Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Switzerland allow physicians to physically assist in the death of patients. The United States has authorized medical aid in dying in six states, which refers to a terminally ill person with 6 months or less to live taking a medication prescribed by a doctor; this is legally distinguished from physician assisted suicide per the individual state laws. Assisted suicide is prohibited by common law or criminal statute in all U.S.

Physician-assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia. In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In physician-assisted suicide (PAS), it is required that the person voluntarily expresses his or her wish to die, and also makes a request for medication for the purpose of ending his or her life. Physician-assisted suicide thus involves a person’s self-administration of deadly drugs that are supplied by a doctor.

One argument for medical aid in dying is that it reduces prolonged suffering in those with terminal illnesses. When death is imminent (6 months or less) patients can choose to have aid in dying as a medical option to shorten an unbearable dying process. The three most frequently mentioned end‐of‐life concerns reported by Oregon residents who took advantage of the Death With Dignity Act in 2015 were: decreasing ability to participate in activities that made life enjoyable (96.2%), loss of autonomy (92.4%), and loss of dignity (75.4%).

Washington vs. Glucksberg

Assisted suicide is usually considered a very controversial topic. In Washington, it did not become legal until 2008. In 1997, four Washington physicians, and three deathly ill patients brought forth a lawsuit that would challenge the ban on medical aid in dying that was in place at the time. This lawsuit was first part of a district court hearing, where it ruled in favor of Glucksberg, which was the group of physicians and terminally ill patients. The lawsuit was then affirmed by the Ninth Circuit. Thus, it was taken to the Supreme Court, and there the Supreme Court decided to grant Washington certiorari. Eventually, the Supreme Court decided, with a unanimous vote, that medical aid in dying was not a protected right under the constitution as of the time of this case. The laws and arguments on this topic are often argued and changed depending on legal evaluation and decision.

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