When it comes to the concept of a life and morality, assisted suicide has always been a difficult topic to broach. There will always be those that consider it to be necessary while others think it is an ethical breach.
What’s the Issue?
Life, especially when discussed through the point of view of physicians can seemingly be black and white. It is the job of doctors and medical healthcare professionals to make sure that:
- Their patients get the best sort of care
- Their patients regain their full health or at least regain wellness
- They do not harm their patients
- They do not lead to their patient’s death if at all possible
So basically the idea of assisted suicide does not go well with the oath that they took when they chose their profession. So on an ethical standpoint, assisted suicide seems to desecrate what it means to be a doctor.
However, these are also the people who are in the best position to ascertain when someone is in an insurmountable amount of pain. They will also be the first to know if the pain is only going to get worse from here on out. So in this level, doctors are the first to sympathize with those who undergo terminal illness and extreme chronic pain.
There have been countries and states which have healthcare professionals who actually advocate for the right of patients to die in their own terms.
Conclusion
The idea of assisted suicide will never be something that will have 100% backing. There will always be people who feel that this is an unethical action especially when physicians are involved in the process. A brave man once said that death may be inevitable but this does not mean that the suffering we undergo does not have to be.
What is your take on the ethical issues surrounding assisted suicide?
