Euthanasia in the United States

Until this year, Oregon was the only state in the United States to legalize Euthansia. This pass November, Washington was the second state to make this procedure legal as well. This procedure allows patients to have a physician assist in suicide. Dr. Jack Kevorkian was a famous physician known for conducting physician-assisted suicide. He was convicted when he conducted one of his procedures on television. Prior to his conviction in 1999, Oregon legalized physician assisted suicide with its Death with Dignity Act.

Euthanasia has been a controversial topic in health care as well as ethics for years. Some support euthanasia arguing that it is the patient's choice and it could be good economically which could save on costs of keeping a patient alive. Physician assisted suicide has both pros and cons. Patients who are terminally ill may not want to continue to live in painful conditions and opt for physician assisted suicide. Patients have to go through a rigorous process to qualify for the procedure. Although it may be a hard process for patients to go through, patients may see this as the best option for them. Some also argue that if patients are now allowed to participate in physician assisted suicide, they may commit suicide on their own. This could relate to the ethical principle of autonomy which gives patients the right to make their own decisions as well as the right of self-determination.

Other issues concerning euthanasia includes that this act should not be legal and is not considered ethical for a physician to conduct this procedure. Physicians are expected to cause no harm to patients and assisting the the suicide could be considered as harm. Physicians have been stereotyped as the person that helps to keep people alive and not to cause their death. This is one reason people may have an issue with physicians participating in euthanasia. Others may disagree because they do not believe in any form of suicide.

The citizens of the United States do not have to accept euthanasia but the reality is there are two states where it is legal. The choice lies between the physician and the patient. Not to say that citizens do not have a voice but patients have the right to choose this procedure. It is available to truly believe this is something they want and negative interference could cause other issues with the patient and could lead to patients committing suicide alone. There may be other states who choose to legalize it in the future.This could cause more issues in regards to euthanasia or it could cause more people to become more accepting of the procedure.