HSM 542 Week 5 Discussion Question 1
Death With Dignity Act (graded)
Discuss the legal and moral implications of physician-assisted suicide.
The arguments for physician assisted suicide are as ethically controversial as they are
ambiguous. The reason for this ambiguity is steeped in a twofold argument. The two arguments
concerning this form of suicide include: the right to die, and the “slippery slope” which concerns
the idea of physician assisted suicide leading to involuntary euthanasia[Rac86]. The arguments
are complex because they contain many fine lines separating them from being ethical and
unethical. The laws governing physician assisted suicide shows disparities between ethical
positions which are often highly contextual in nature [Pen95]. The disparities between ethical
and legal statutes reflect a large inconsistency in belief that is also reflected in the practice in
states such as Oregon.
What are the key provisions of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act? Under Oregon’s Death
with Dignity Act (DWDA), enacted in late 1997, allows terminally-ill citizens of Oregon to
obtain and use prescriptions for self-administered, lethal doses of medications. The key
provisions of the Act include:
18 years of age or older,
a resident of Oregon, Washington, or Vermont;
capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself;
and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months.
Two physicians must determine whether these criteria have been met[Ore].
What has been the experience with this process in Oregon since passage of the act in 1997?
The disparities between ethical and legal viewpoints may have some basis in practice. It would
seem that even patients are torn with whether they would desire to die in these circumstances.
Since the law was passed in 1997, a total of 1,173 people have had DWDA
prescriptions written and 752 patients have died from ingesting medications
prescribed under the DWDA[Ore].
This means that only 64% of patients prescribed medication for self-termination actually used it.
This is a revealing number because it provides a serious argument against euthanasia or doctor
administered physician assisted suicide; since 36% of the people prescribed medication did not
use it. This also gives merit to a program that allows the person to administer his or her own
death since that person is solely responsible for the action.
References
Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act 2013. (2013). Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act 2013. Retrieved
from Oregon Health Authority:
http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/Deathwith
DignityAct/Documents/year16.pdf
Pence, G. (1995). Detailed accounts of widely publicized cases, studies, and policies. 2nd ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rachels, J. (1986). Rachels, James. The End of Life: Euthanasia A defense of euthanasia, active
and passive, when "biographical life" is over. Oxford: Oxford University.
This study source was downloaded by 100000801755870 from CourseHero.com on 03-14-2022 09:48:07 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/17956200/HSM-542-Week-5-DQ-1-Death-With-Dignity-Act/
Death With Dignity Act (graded)
Discuss the legal and moral implications of physician-assisted suicide.
The arguments for physician assisted suicide are as ethically controversial as they are
ambiguous. The reason for this ambiguity is steeped in a twofold argument. The two arguments
concerning this form of suicide include: the right to die, and the “slippery slope” which concerns
the idea of physician assisted suicide leading to involuntary euthanasia[Rac86]. The arguments
are complex because they contain many fine lines separating them from being ethical and
unethical. The laws governing physician assisted suicide shows disparities between ethical
positions which are often highly contextual in nature [Pen95]. The disparities between ethical
and legal statutes reflect a large inconsistency in belief that is also reflected in the practice in
states such as Oregon.
What are the key provisions of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act? Under Oregon’s Death
with Dignity Act (DWDA), enacted in late 1997, allows terminally-ill citizens of Oregon to
obtain and use prescriptions for self-administered, lethal doses of medications. The key
provisions of the Act include:
18 years of age or older,
a resident of Oregon, Washington, or Vermont;
capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself;
and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six months.
Two physicians must determine whether these criteria have been met[Ore].
What has been the experience with this process in Oregon since passage of the act in 1997?
The disparities between ethical and legal viewpoints may have some basis in practice. It would
seem that even patients are torn with whether they would desire to die in these circumstances.
Since the law was passed in 1997, a total of 1,173 people have had DWDA
prescriptions written and 752 patients have died from ingesting medications
prescribed under the DWDA[Ore].
This means that only 64% of patients prescribed medication for self-termination actually used it.
This is a revealing number because it provides a serious argument against euthanasia or doctor
administered physician assisted suicide; since 36% of the people prescribed medication did not
use it. This also gives merit to a program that allows the person to administer his or her own
death since that person is solely responsible for the action.
References
Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act 2013. (2013). Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act 2013. Retrieved
from Oregon Health Authority:
http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/Deathwith
DignityAct/Documents/year16.pdf
Pence, G. (1995). Detailed accounts of widely publicized cases, studies, and policies. 2nd ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill.
Rachels, J. (1986). Rachels, James. The End of Life: Euthanasia A defense of euthanasia, active
and passive, when "biographical life" is over. Oxford: Oxford University.
This study source was downloaded by 100000801755870 from CourseHero.com on 03-14-2022 09:48:07 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/17956200/HSM-542-Week-5-DQ-1-Death-With-Dignity-Act/
