Oregon Death and Dignity Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oregon Death and Dignity Act - Essay lessonThe debate centers on individual autonomy, whether or not uncomplainings who suffer from extreme pain and have a terminal or degenerative disease such(prenominal) as Alzheimers, AIDS and multiple sclerosis have the right to an assisted death of the type and time of their own choosing.Active euthanasia occurs when the checkup professionals, or another person, deliberately do something that causes the patient to die (Ethics, 2006) A doctors involvement in the procedure could be to either set up a lethal dose of drugs with the express intent of ending a life or by intravenously inserting a needle into the terminal patient who then activates a switch that administers the fatal dose (Naji et al, 2005). Many terminally ill people choose to end their own life to evade the antecedently discussed detriments of a terminal illness. Suicide rates are by far the highest among the elderly population for this reason. If these people are going to commit felo-de-se, which is better, controlled, compassionate doctor-assisted suicide or clumsy attempts like taking sleeping pills, jumping off a building, or firing a bullet into sensations head? (Messerli, 2007).Only one state, Oregon, and three countries, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands, allow assisted suicide. The law in Oregon was challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court early last year and was upheld by a select of six to three. In 2001, President Bush attempted to derail the Oregon law permitting euthanasia stating that assisted suicide wasnt a legitimate medical purpose. The justices, however, were not convinced by Bushs argument. Justice Sandra Day OConnor pointed out that doctors participate in the administration of lethal injections to death dustup inmates (Roh, 2006). The Oregon laws are shaped after those in the Netherlands and are designed to ensure second opinions have been consulted and there is an imminent presumption of death