The Right to Die? Ethical and Legal Issues Surrounding Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

The "Right to Die"
The term "Right to Die" evokes a strong response from people of either side of the ideological fence. "Right to Life" proponents argue against any form of legalized termination of life, at any stage, including abortion, capital punishment, embryonic stem cell research, war, and any form of euthanasia, including physician-assisted suicide. Supporters of a patient's "Right to Die," or of the concept of "dying with dignity," would argue in favor of the patient's right to maintain the ability to opt for a humane and controlled end to his or her life, when that life is felt to be unbearable due to physical pain.

When most people hear the term "Right to Die," they commonly associated it with the practice of physician-assisted suicide, such as the well publicized practices of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. However, a patient's "Right to Die" actually refers to a broader concept than that of physician-assisted suicide, although it is certainly a part of it. Euthanasia and all forms of a patient's right to terminate his or her life, or have his or her life terminated by another in the interest of ending suffering, are also considered in the argument about a patient's "Right to Die."

Physician-assisted suicide is thought by many to be a form of euthanasia, but strictly speaking, it is not. Euthanasia is the "intentional killing of another person at his/her request for compassionate motives," according to Dr. Brian Pollard. Physician-assisted suicide is a practice in which the physician supplies the patient with the means to end his or her life, but does not carry out the actual killing.

The State of Oregon's Death with Dignity Act
Euthanasia, in any form, is illegal in most countries, as is physician-assisted suicide. Some forms of euthanasia are legal in the Netherlands, and Belgium. In some Eastern Asian countries, suicide is considered to be an acceptable solution.