Essay Examples on University of Surrey

Medical advances have increased the possibilities of prolonging Life

Medical advances have increased the possibilities of prolonging life and managing symptoms of terminally ill patients Rietjens Van der Heide Onwuteaka Philipsen Van der Maas Van der Wal 2006 Extending life however may not always be the most appropriate goal for incurably ill patients and hastening of death may actually be the desired goal of care for example in the case of euthanasia Palermo 1995 defined active euthanasia as the killing of a patient by a physician who usually believes the patient to be terminally ill and in agonizing pain Physician assisted suicide is performed to end psychological or physiological suffering to a person who desires to commit suicide Worthen Yeatts 2000 2001 The issue of euthanasia and assisted dying have continued to be controversial and have raised many medical legal and ethical questions Kopp 2008 2009 There is no middle ground or strong consensus because Euthanasia is viewed as both an immoral crime and an act of moral compassion Proulx Jacelon 2004 Interestingly while members of the medical profession debate the ethics of assisted suicide public support for legalizing euthanasia has been increasing Palermo 1995 One reason why physicians as compared to the general population are more opposed to assisted suicide may be the burden of responsibility associated with it Lindblad Lofmark Lynoe 2009 Additionally doctors also may have a paternalistic view believing that they always know what is best for the patient Lindblad et al 2009 A common argument against euthanasia is that it could threaten patients trust in the medical services Lindblad et al 2009 However research by Lindblad et al 2009 found no evidence for the assumption that trust would be jeopardized if physician assisted suicide were to be legalized On the contrary actions stressing patients autonomy would possibly result in an increased trust in the medical care Lindblad et al 2009

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