Assisted suicide of terminally ill patients - yay or nay?

For years, people have been debating on medical euthanasia, and there are usually strong points from both sides. So what do you think? If someone is suffering with no foreseeable way out, should they be allowed to ask a physician to end their life?

wasn't there a thread just like this 4 months ago?

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she should end her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

wasn't there a thread just like this 4 months ago?

almasdeathchild

Yay!!!!!!!! Obviously. I can understand religious people not supporting it however.

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she shouldend her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

indzman

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

I don't have a problem with this.

[QUOTE="indzman"]

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she shouldend her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

JohnF111

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

i guess it really depends on the situation and the patient. If a person is seriously sufferring and asking for death , assisted suicide can be allowed on the patients saying.

my cousin is seriously handicapped and is in lots of pain like not able to do anything, we still care about her a lot. If she insistied on assisted suicide, we would feel really bad you know, specially her parents.

Honestly? I've never had a problem with euthanasia.

No point in letting someone suffer if they're going to die anyway. I've never understood why it's illegal in the first place (I know there's stupid reasons, but nothing legitimate imo).

[QUOTE="indzman"]

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she shouldend her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

JohnF111

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

Yup. If it's their choice then there shouldn't be a legal barrier. If loved ones want to object they can object all they want and try to dissuade the person from going through with it, but in the end if they want to end their life the government shouldn't get in the way.

[QUOTE="JohnF111"]

[QUOTE="indzman"]

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she shouldend her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

indzman

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

i guess it really depends on the situation and the patient. If a person is seriously sufferring and asking for death , assisted suicide can be allowed on the patients saying.

my cousin is seriously handicapped and is in lots of pain like not able to do anything, we care about her a lot. If she insistied on assisted suicide, we would feel really bad you know.

If they want it, then they should have the right to check out whenever they want.

[QUOTE="indzman"]

[QUOTE="JohnF111"]

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

Razor-Lazor

i guess it really depends on the situation and the patient. If a person is seriously sufferring and asking for death , assisted suicide can be allowed on the patients saying.

my cousin is seriously handicapped and is in lots of pain like not able to do anything, we care about her a lot. If she insistied on assisted suicide, we would feel really bad you know.

I don't see why there needs to be a legal distinction. If someone is completely incapacitated and feels like thier quality of life is so low as to make them not want to live anymore then I don't see why there should be a legal barrier to voluntary euthanasia for them. Whether one should end their life or not because they're quadraplegic is a different matter.

If they want it, then they should have the right to check out whenever they want.

Blueresident87

[QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

If they want it, then they should have the right to check out whenever they want.

Razor-Lazor

Does the legality of the fact matter? Is it even really illegal?

[QUOTE="Razor-Lazor"][QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

If they want it, then they should have the right to check out whenever they want.

tenaka2

Does the legality of the fact matter? Is it even really illegal?

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

[QUOTE="Razor-Lazor"] So, just to play devil's advocate, should suicide itself be legal then?Razor-Lazor

Does the legality of the fact matter? Is it even really illegal?

Actually, I think they just commit you until a doctor can verify you're not a risk to yourself.

[QUOTE="JohnF111"]

[QUOTE="indzman"]

nay, taking ones life even if its own is a crime.sets a bad example plus near and dear ones also get affected. My cousin sister is born handiccaped, can't eat, can't do potty, can't move at all without help of nanny. does it mean she shouldend her life? no. Her parents and we love and care for her all the same. But i do feel the pain of those worst cases of terminally ill patients.

indzman

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

i guess it really depends on the situation and the patient. If a person is seriously sufferring and asking for death , assisted suicide can be allowed on the patients saying.

my cousin is seriously handicapped and is in lots of pain like not able to do anything, we still care about her a lot. If she insisted on assisted suicide, we would feel really bad you know, specially her parents.

[QUOTE="Razor-Lazor"][QUOTE="tenaka2"]

Does the legality of the fact matter? Is it even really illegal?

theone86

Actually, I think they just commit you until a doctor can verify you're not a risk to yourself.

Yet if a person sacrificed themselves to save another, a child for example the person would be deemed a hero.

I can understand the legal side if someone jumps of a building/infront of a train etc as that endangers others,

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="Razor-Lazor"] You can get in a lot of trouble for attempted suicide.tenaka2

Actually, I think they just commit you until a doctor can verify you're not a risk to yourself.

Yet if a person sacrificed themselves to save another, a child for example the person would be deemed a hero.

I can understand the legal side if someone jumps of a building/infront of a train etc as that endangers others,

Well, I mean if someone is clinically depressed then obviously treatment could legitimately help them avoid the urge to kill themselves. However, if someone really does not want to live as a quadriplegic (for example, the blind and deaf twins could be another example) then that's not a case of chemical imbalance, that's a conscious decision.

[QUOTE="Blueresident87"]

If they want it, then they should have the right to check out whenever they want.

Razor-Lazor

If it doesn't inhibit others, sure.

By this I mean, don't jump off a building into the middle of a busy street. In fact not in public places at all.

Also don't fail at suicide. If an ambulance is taken away from preparation for actual emergencies and people who need assistance and actually want to live, then yes you deserve criminal charges.

I think the above reasons are the only reason suicide is criminalized in the first place. Some kid wants to kill himself and then changes his mind AFTER he injest 30 tylenol or AFTER she cuts her wrists... Then it inhibits emergency personnel. I don't think the government gives a sh-t otherwise.

[QUOTE="indzman"]

[QUOTE="JohnF111"]

Who says that it's mandatory?

TC clearly mentions assisted suicide, not Compassionate Murder, get your facts straight.

Also if the person suffering wants to die and wholeheartedly agrees to euthanasia then I say Yay. You wouldn't let a dog suffer such agony and we're supposed to care about humans a lot more.

JohnF111

i guess it really depends on the situation and the patient. If a person is seriously sufferring and asking for death , assisted suicide can be allowed on the patients saying.

my cousin is seriously handicapped and is in lots of pain like not able to do anything, we still care about her a lot. If she insisted on assisted suicide, we would feel really bad you know, specially her parents.

Yep, very tough decision to make lol. If only there was other way around besides death Heh

It is unethical and highly controversial.

It is unethical and highly controversial.

TehFuneral

more like cruel if you ask me :P

It is unethicalTehFuneral

and highly controversial.

TehFuneral

It is unethical and highly controversial.

TehFuneral

Why do you think it is unethical?

[QUOTE="TehFuneral"]

It is unethical and highly controversial.

tenaka2

Why do you think it is unethical?

There is really no direct answer to this, but as a medical doctor you are, under the hippocratic oath, obliged to heal only... and causing death is not considered healing.

Then you have all that medico-legal laws and whatnot where it differs around the world and comes to play a role ... which I unfortunately do not hold much information about.

Unless they are a paraplegic or something why can't they just kill themselves? It's easy enough. Find a cliff, overdose on painkillers, put an electrical appliance in the bath ect. Not hard.

If the person is in no capacity to do it themselves and are untreatable, then I see it as a medical obligation to assist them.

Then again, I think doctors should just kill paitents for the fun of it.

Other than religious people saying that only god can take and give life, I don't see an issue with assisted suicide. If I were suffering from a terminal disease that I knew could not be cured, why keep on living? Life is suffering, but not to that extent.

I don't particularly like it, but it's not my place to say what you do with your body.

As someone who works in healthcare and has seen alot of **** in his career, I say yes.

It is disgusting to me the condition some people are kept in thanks to family members who just can't ******* let go.

Keep a person alive with feeding tubes to just lay to waste in a bed 24/7. They are aware of things going on but can't move or speak or anything. Oh lets not forget the trach tube making them breathe.

I understand for a period of time someone being in such a state if there is actually a chance for them to get their life back, but by God people will be left like that for YEARS....

Even worse, without euthanasia once a family FINALLY decides to pull the plug it means the person starves to death. They only pull the plug on the freaking feeding tube......

So yeah, there needs to be some way of making this legal. I have dealt with people attempting suicide at my work because they didn't want to live the rest of their life in a nursing home....

Unless they are a paraplegic or something why can't they just kill themselves? It's easy enough. Find a cliff, overdose on painkillers, put an electrical appliance in the bath ect. Not hard.

KingKinect

If they are in a healthcare facility (which alot of the time someone who would be in this position would be) they CAN'T unless the facility screws up.

We HAVE to prevent anyone from eloping (leaving when they aren't supposed to) or killing themselves. A person succeeds with either of those the facility itself is going to be in big trouble...

Other than religious people saying that only god can take and give life, I don't see an issue with assisted suicide. If I were suffering from a terminal disease that I knew could not be cured, why keep on living? Life is suffering, but not to that extent.

zenogandia

[QUOTE="zenogandia"]

Other than religious people saying that only god can take and give life, I don't see an issue with assisted suicide. If I were suffering from a terminal disease that I knew could not be cured, why keep on living? Life is suffering, but not to that extent.

MrGeezer

I would do everything possible to prevent the scuicide though... let's say from a depressive person who simply finds no reason to live.

Yes. Though I imagine in today's society the bureaucracy involved in this would be gargantuan.

Hey if they want to take their own lives why not? There is many easy ways to kill yourself if you really wanted to though so not sure why someone would need assistance with something so simple, unless you were unable to do it yourself.

Yay. But I think it should be for anyone that wants it, not justterminally ill people.

Definitely yay. If after any and all procedures, the patient is still suffering and without much hope, and it is the patient's wish to end their life, then I see no reason to let them contniue suffering.

Hell, we euthenize pets if they are suffering and we don't technically get consent from them.

Yes. Although very surprised my state voted it down...

I didn't imply that, though. I was giving an example of someone who wanted to die because of a terminal disease, but I personally am not against anyone who wishes to take their lives.

I would do everything possible to prevent the scuicide though... let's say from a depressive person who simply finds no reason to live.

zenogandia