CHLH 260: Exam 2 questions with
complete solutions graded A+
United States with PAS - correct answer ✔✔1. Oregon - 1997
2. Washington - 2008
3. Montana - 2009 (Immunity for physicians but no PAS law)
4. Vermont - 2013 (3rd state)
States without PAS - correct answer ✔✔- 38 states have laws *prohibiting* PAS (ILL included)
- 3 states and DC prohibit PAS by common law
- 4 states have no laws regarding PAS, may not recognize common law, or are unclear on the legality (NV,
NC, UT, and WY)
Value conflicts with PAS - correct answer ✔✔- Autonomy
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
American College of Physicians Ethics Manual, 2nd Ed - correct answer ✔✔an unconditional "no" to
assisted suicide
- a patient may refuse treatment and the physician must comply
- the physician must never intentionally and directly cause death or assist a patient to commit suicide
American College of Physicians Ethics Manual, 3rd Ed - correct answer ✔✔there are difficult cases that
- open conversations between terminally ill patients and their physicians about patient needs and values
are essential, even when those conversations include a patient's request for assisted suicide
First place in the world to legalize euthanasia - correct answer ✔✔Northern territory of Australia - May
'95
, Netherlands - correct answer ✔✔Euthanasia not legal, although if established protocols are followed,
prosecution not pursued
Oregon - correct answer ✔✔- 1994: referendum passed, but in Aug a federal judge found the law to be
unconstitutional
- 1997: became law
Oregon Criteria - correct answer ✔✔1. Must be terminally ill
2. Must have 6 or less months to live
3. 2 oral requests
4. 1 written request
5. must convince two physicians that he/she is sincere
6. must not be influenced by depression
7. must wait 15 days
Should physicians be allowed to assist in PAS? Yes - correct answer ✔✔Marcia Angell
- principles which predominate are autonomy and duty to relieve suffering
- doctors should not be prosecuted for PAS
Should physicians be allowed to assist in PAS? No - correct answer ✔✔Kathleen Foley
- PAS will substitute for interventions that would otherwise improve the quality of life
- hurts training, education, and practice improvements in palliative care
Oregon: Death with Dignity - correct answer ✔✔DWD passed in 1997
- since, approx 200 oregon members have taken their life, most terminal cancer patients
- challenged in 2001 by the Bush Administration, US court ruled against in 2006
- supreme court, by a 6-3 vote, stated that the govt cannot prohibit Oregon doctors from PAS under
Oregon Law
- federal law is silent on issue of assisted suicide
complete solutions graded A+
United States with PAS - correct answer ✔✔1. Oregon - 1997
2. Washington - 2008
3. Montana - 2009 (Immunity for physicians but no PAS law)
4. Vermont - 2013 (3rd state)
States without PAS - correct answer ✔✔- 38 states have laws *prohibiting* PAS (ILL included)
- 3 states and DC prohibit PAS by common law
- 4 states have no laws regarding PAS, may not recognize common law, or are unclear on the legality (NV,
NC, UT, and WY)
Value conflicts with PAS - correct answer ✔✔- Autonomy
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence
American College of Physicians Ethics Manual, 2nd Ed - correct answer ✔✔an unconditional "no" to
assisted suicide
- a patient may refuse treatment and the physician must comply
- the physician must never intentionally and directly cause death or assist a patient to commit suicide
American College of Physicians Ethics Manual, 3rd Ed - correct answer ✔✔there are difficult cases that
- open conversations between terminally ill patients and their physicians about patient needs and values
are essential, even when those conversations include a patient's request for assisted suicide
First place in the world to legalize euthanasia - correct answer ✔✔Northern territory of Australia - May
'95
, Netherlands - correct answer ✔✔Euthanasia not legal, although if established protocols are followed,
prosecution not pursued
Oregon - correct answer ✔✔- 1994: referendum passed, but in Aug a federal judge found the law to be
unconstitutional
- 1997: became law
Oregon Criteria - correct answer ✔✔1. Must be terminally ill
2. Must have 6 or less months to live
3. 2 oral requests
4. 1 written request
5. must convince two physicians that he/she is sincere
6. must not be influenced by depression
7. must wait 15 days
Should physicians be allowed to assist in PAS? Yes - correct answer ✔✔Marcia Angell
- principles which predominate are autonomy and duty to relieve suffering
- doctors should not be prosecuted for PAS
Should physicians be allowed to assist in PAS? No - correct answer ✔✔Kathleen Foley
- PAS will substitute for interventions that would otherwise improve the quality of life
- hurts training, education, and practice improvements in palliative care
Oregon: Death with Dignity - correct answer ✔✔DWD passed in 1997
- since, approx 200 oregon members have taken their life, most terminal cancer patients
- challenged in 2001 by the Bush Administration, US court ruled against in 2006
- supreme court, by a 6-3 vote, stated that the govt cannot prohibit Oregon doctors from PAS under
Oregon Law
- federal law is silent on issue of assisted suicide
