Physician-assisted suicide

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.

Assisted suicide and euthanasia are sometimes combined under the umbrella term "assisted dying". Other related terms include "physician-assisted dying", "physician-assisted death", "aid in dying", "death with dignity", "right to die", "compassionate death", "compassionate dying", "end-of-life choice", and "medical assistance at the end of life".

Physician-assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia (sometimes called "mercy killing"). In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. In physician-assisted suicide (PAS) the patient self-administers the means of death.

Due to the recent election November 8, there have many people debating the newly passed Colorado End of Life Options Act. The new law is usually compared to the Death With Dignity Act that has been in place in the state of Oregon for 20 years. While it passed by a vote of two thirds, that still leaves one third of the state's voters that did not wish to see it pass. A few common reasons that have come up, include: religious beliefs, fear of abuse, and the worry that some won't make the decision if they are given better care in their final days. Most supporters believe that it is their right to make this difficult decision on their own and wish to have the choice, despite opposing reasons. They view their choice for aid-in-dying as an end to their suffering, and the end of their life is only a result of the illness.

Medical decisions are personal and should be made by individuals and their families without interference from a third party—like the federal or state government. Libertarians strongly support AiD legislation for this reason.

One argument for assisted suicide or 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%).

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