Cooper Davis

Conrad
Exp. English
26 October 2015
Dogs Get More Rights Than Humans?
Five states in the United States of America partake in physician assisted suicide. The
medical definition for physicians assisted suicide is as follows; suicide by a patient facilitated by
means or information (as a drug prescription or indication of the lethal dosage) provided by a
physician who is aware of how the patient intends to use such means or information. There are
strict regulations on physicians assisted suicide, most including; must be 18 years or older,
capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself, diagnosed with
terminal illness that will lead to death in 6 months, and physically/mentally capable of selfadministering the aid-in-dying drug. Supporters argue that people should have the right to decide
when they die, that since it is already practiced, making it legal federally would provide safer
practice, and people should have the right to not have to endure an intolerable amount of pain
when death is an option. Critics argue that physicians assisted suicide is against Gods will, that
doctors should be healers not killers, and that legalizing assisted suicide is a slippery slope and
could lead to significant unintended changes that we would later regret. Physicians assisted
suicide should be legal for all of the supporters reasons listed above.
Physicians assisted suicide should be legalized because choosing when we die should be
a basic right given to us. In other words, it simply comes down to the basic right of death that
every human deserves and as Michael Irwin, MPH, MD, former Medical Director at the United
Nations and current Coordinator of the Society for Old Age Rational Suicide states the right to

die should be a matter of personal choice. We are able to choose all kinds of things in life from
who we marry to what kind of work we do and I think when one comes to the end of ones life,
whether you have a terminal illness or whether youre elderly, you should have a choice about
what happens to you In making this comment, Irwin urges that ending your life is the most
personal choice anyone can make and it should never be determined by anyone but yourself.
Although critics may argue that its the last option not a right given and they believe assisted
suicide isnt a choice, it is the end of all choices. Doctor prescribed death is not death with
dignity it is really the euthanasia of hope as Wesley Smith, JD states. But this is wrong because
patients have a choice to live and they will only die from assisted suicide by choosing that path
on their own. Physicians assisted suicide is a choice that everyone should have the right to.
If physicians assisted suicide was legalized federally, no person could be left out and the
regulations would make it very safe. Brittany Maynard, a 29-year old with stage 4 Glioblastoma
multiforme (a malignant brain tumor), who launched a campaign with Compassion & Choices to
raise awareness about Death with Dignity laws and who took lethal medication prescribed by her
doctors in Oregon on Nov. 1, 2014, stated the following its only a choice thats available to
some Americans, which is really unethical theres tons of Americans who dont have time or
the ability or finances [to move to a legal state] and I dont think thats right or fair. Basically,
Brittany is saying physicians assisted suicide should be legal everywhere to give everyone the
right to end their life if they see fit not just people who live in the legalized states. Many people
would argue that physicians assisted suicide is a slippery dangerous slope that will lead to abuse
and illegality. Joseph O'Neill, MS, MPH, MPhil, MD states in a society that does such a poor
job of protecting its vulnerable, it is naive to think that even the protections embedded in the CA
law will be sufficient to prevent coercion and misuse of assisted death. Basically what Oneill is

saying is that the government wont do a good job of protecting us against misuse according to
physicians assisted suicide but this is wrong because if it was a federal law there would be a lot
more control and safety regulations to refrain coercion and misuse from occurring. Clearly,
physicians assisted suicide should be legalized to provide fair and safe access to everyone.
Physicians assisted suicide should be legalized because if a person is in an intolerable
amount of pain they should have the choice to die with dignity. According to Stephen Hawking,
PhD, cosmologist and theoretical physicist, those who have a terminal illness and are in great
pain should have the right to choose to end their lives and those that help them should be free
from prosecution. We dont let animals suffer, why humans? In other words, Hawking believes
a person who wants to die surrounded by their family with dignity, before their illness cripples
them beyond repair should have the right to. Many critics argue that people die according to
Gods Will and no one should change that. Franjo Cardinal Seper believes assisted suicide is
considered as a rejection of Gods sovereignty and loving plan. But if people are going to die
in 6 months from Gods will they should be able to bypass the miserable last few months and
be reunited with God sooner and with more dignity. Therefore, if people are terminally ill they
should be given the option to physicians assisted suicide.
Physicians assisted suicide should be legalized for many reasons, including; that death
should be a right given to everyone, that a federal law would promote equality and safety, and
people shouldnt have to suffer therefore they should be a given a choice. Pamela Boone states
Im not afraid of being dead. Im just afraid of what I might have to go through to get there . If
a person is suffering whos to tell them they dont have a right to die. The government should
provide everyone with an equal right to die with dignity.