Image from: https://abcnews.go.com/US/maine-10th-jurisdiction-legalize-medically-assisted-suicide/story?id=63686792

Death with dignity has been a controversial topic among healthcare workers. Death with dignity allows certain terminally ill people to end their life voluntarily. I’ve known about physician-assisted suicide since 2018. I knew that Maine and a few other states had approved legislation in recent years. I learned that in Maine, the qualifications for physician-assisted suicide include: two waiting periods, one written and two oral requests, and a second opinion by a consulting physician. In addition, it requires a psychiatric evaluation to ensure the patient is capable of making their own decision. Despite the new legislation in place, not many patients have exercised their ability to die with dignity.

Federally, the Supreme Court has ruled that physician-assisted death is not a right protected by the constitution. They’ve given it up to the individual states to decide. If the patient’s current state doesn’t allow it, they’d need to go to one that does. There was a story about Brittney Maynard, who had a brain tumor, that went to Oregon in 2014 because California didn’t allow it at the time.

As I reflect upon what I’ve learned in previous classes, I can see how physician-assisted suicide can violate or support ethical principles. Nonmaleficence is an ethical principle commonly debated. One can say it’s helping the patient by avoiding suffering from an illness. Another can argue, you’re killing the patient. Either way, I believe it’s best to respect the autonomy that the patient deserves.