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Running head: PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Leecheon, Kim

Madonna University

ESL 4230 - Research Proposal (D2)

February 6, 2017

Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

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Research questions:

Informative paper: What are the effects of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia

on society?

Argumentative paper: Should physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia be allowed?

"Along with the ageing of the population and progresses in medicine, a significant

number of very sick people are maintained alive, thanks to various techniques, which creates

an inconstant boundary between life and death. The scientific development of these medical

techniques raise complex issues and engenders debates" (Diaconescu, 2012). Some countries

have legalized the law passing physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, while the others

haven't yet passed the law. There are several issues and debates arising out of the law of

which we should think deeply. Among those issues, I would like to discuss legal, ethical,

religious, and economical issues. By researching and studying theses issues caused by the

law, we would know what problems the law has, and make it more elaborate for people to

prepare themselves. I hope my research will inspire others to think about physician-assisted

suicide and euthanasia.

My own connection with physician-assisted suicide started when my mother fell

down on the street and had to go to the hospital in 2012. While she laid in a bed with cerebral

infraction, she was unconscious for about 10 months. After 10 months she opened her eyes,

but she did not recognize several people around her including me and was disabled due to

brain damages. She needed therapeutic rehabilitation programs, physical therapy, and

medicines. After she took successful programs relatively, she was getting better. Now, she is

doing well though she needs to be cared for by a caregiver and she is disabled due to the

cerebral infraction. I thought what would happen to her and me if euthanasia had been

administered by a health-care provider. What effects do physician-assisted and euthanasia

have on society? Should physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia be legal? If so, in what
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circumstances, should physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia be allowed?

For my informative paper, I chose the research question: What are effects of

physician-assisted and euthanasia on society? In the words of Huntoon (2016), "physician-

assisted suicide has been legal in Oregon since 1997, in Washington State since 2008, in

Vermont since 2013, in California since Jun 9, 2016, and in Montana since 2009. In early

November 2016, the District of Columbia City Council voted to allow physician-assisted

suicide, and a final vote on the bill is pending. In 2015, 18 states were considering laws to

allow physician-assisted suicide" More and more countries are considering the law or are

starting to pass the law. However, there are some issues along with the law. Huntoon (2016)

pointed out that "the elderly and those suffering from severe debilitating illnesses, who may

be depressed and lonely and who may not have the will or the energy to fight back to

preserve their lives, are at risk. If experience in other countries with physician-assisted

suicide and euthanasia is any indication, those eligible for death-by-physician will expand to

include the healthy and the very young as well. In those countries that have socialized

medicine, the vulnerable will likely include those who are viewed as costing the system too

much money" I will introduce what effects physician-assisted and euthanasia has on society.

For my argumentative paper, I chose the research question: Should physician-assisted

suicide and euthanasia be allowed? Hendin & Foley (2008) have noted, "In 1997, five months

after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that there was no right to assisted suicide in the

Constitution but implied that states have the right to decide for themselves whether to permit

or prohibit physician-assisted suicide, the Oregon Death with Dignity Act, having survived its

own legal challenges, took effect. It was thought that Oregon would serve as a 'laboratory of

the states,' showing us how physician-assisted suicide ("PAS") would work. This has not

occurred, in large part because the Oregon Public Health Division, charged with monitoring

the law, has interpreted its mandate in an extremely restrictive manner" About 19 years have
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passed since the U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding right to physician-assisted suicide in

1997, but there are still issues which society should consider and resolve because patients

suffering from severe illness are emotionally unstable and left unprotected. Huntoon (2016)

have offered a compelling argument for this view: "the so-called stringent guidelines that are

embodied in laws that permit physician-assisted and euthanasia are often violated with

impunity by physicians who have intent on killing patients. Those who violate these

guidelines by administering death, of course, do not report their violations, except in

anonymous surveys" To support both side of views against and in favor of the law and

morals, I will give more information which will support and counter-argue physician-assisted

suicide and euthanasia.

I am pretty excited to have a chance to research this topic because it is strongly

related to my personal experience and social concern. As medical technology develops and

common sense of health knowledge is more widely spread, life expectancy is increased and

people suffering from serious illnesses would live but would heavily rely more on the

medical technology - life support system. It is not easy to decide whether physician-assisted

suicide should be allowed in certain cases or others, and if allowed, in what circumstances it

should be allowed. I will research legalization of the law passing physician-assisted suicide

and euthanasia, and its positive and negative effects on our society. People are more likely to

know what physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia is, and they can prepare for that if they

face such a situation. I hope this research will give some information to society and people to

enable them to make the best of situation.

References

Diaconescu, A, M. (2012). Euthanasia. Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice, 4

(2), 474-483.

Hendin, H., & Foley, K., (2008). Physician-assisted suicide in Oregon: A medical
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perspective. Michigan Law Review, 106(8), p1613.

Huntoon, L.R., (2016). (Ed). Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia; The destruction of

morals, ethics, and medicine. Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, 98.