Question

Essay on an ethical issue. You will be writing a brief essay on an ethical issue in
contemporary health. The essay will consist of 1000-1250 words on the topic of Euthanasia,
PAS, and PAD.
Compare and contrast the following countries and their policies regarding; physician aid in
dying (physician assisted suicide – voluntary indirect euthanasia), active euthanasia and
palliative sedation.
1. Canada - CMA
2. The Netherlands - RDMA
3. USA (Oregon) - AMA
What is the current status of the law regarding these topics and what is the general consensus
or stance from; the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Royal Dutch Medical Association
(RDMA), and American Medical Association (AMA) in regards to these topics.
Outline the issue and why it is relevant within ethics in contemporary health issues (define all
terms, outline why it is an ethical issue in contemporary health, what are the legal
implications (note any current laws about the topic and how they have changed with time)
and indicate your ethical stance on the topic).
After you have outlined all of the concepts, present your personal interpretation and opinion
regarding this topic. Note that opinions should be substantiated with evidence based
research and academic support.
Your essay must include the following sections:
1. General outline of essay – show your thought process and prep work
2. APA title page
3. Introduction (inclusion of a thesis statement)
4. Topic relevance and description
5. Legal implications
6. Personal reflection on ethical stance
7. Conclusion
8. APA reference page

Answer 1

Medical ethics is an important issue in the health industry. Sometimes there are scenarios and situations where one has to take a difficult decision which not only the patient but also those who are closely related to him/her. A few of often debated issues are that of euthanasia, PAS, and PAD.

Euthanasia is legal in some countries but only if the patient is in great physical discomfort and there is no chance of recovery from the illness. It is an act of painlessly putting to death such a patient by withdrawing artificial life support system or stopping any sort of treatment. Euthanasia can be voluntary, which means by the consent of the patient and the physician treating

The medical definition of PAS is physician aided suicide. It is a term used to describe a case where a physician intentionally and knowingly provides the means to another to commit suicide because he/she has a terminal diagnosis, with little or no relief. This could be like providing a prescription medicine to a person despite knowing that it could be used for committing suicide. PAS is currently legal in the US and a handful of other countries. In PAS the patient must be the one to take the medication, knowing that it is fatal. Given all the scenarios and pros and cons, PAS is a hard and bitterly debated topic all over the world. PAD, or Physician Aided Death is the same as PAS, where the patient is allowed to choose death by the physician's help.

Under current Dutch law, euthanasia by doctors is only legal in cases of hopeless and unbearable suffering. In 2016, the Dutch cabinet drafted and passed a law that would allow assisted suicide or PAD in cases with a terminal illness where the patient feels that he/she has completed life.

Canada passed a bill on assisted dying in June 2016. The bill, named Bill C-14, helped to legalize and regulate assisted dying. However, very strict laws govern assisted dying.

The AMA or the American Medical Association in Oregon is concerned with the promotion of the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health. In 1997,voters voted by a wide margin, almost 60%, in favor of legalizing the practice of PAS. Howeever, most of the states in the US are against PAS.

Assisted death is a topic which has been debated over and over again without people, including doctors, lawyers, clerics, social workers, academics, etc. coming to any conclusion. In most religions, taking one's life deliberately is considered a sin. Morality says that if we can't give life, we have no right to take it. But there are certain situations where people have to think rationally. Letting a critically ill person who is undergoing unbearable suffering should be allowed to die. Such a death will be considered a relief and the person who aids in this is doing an act of kindness. After all, it is only the body that dies, not the soul. The soul is set free from captivity; from a painful captivity. So, assisted death should be allowed but only after considering the seriousness of the medical condition of the patient. If there is the remotest chance of recovery, it should not be allowed.