response to classmates Discussion

The right to die movement has been a controversial movement to say the least. It can sometimes seem very black and white. Many people feel like it is unethical to assist in someone’s death. Others believe that it is perfectly legal and right to allow someone who has a fatal illness the right to choose their death. There are so many things to consider though. Personally, I agree with people who support the right to die movement. I believe if someone has a terminal illness with little to no possibility of survival, they should be able to decide to die. However, I think there needs to be legal regulations to specify a difference between someone choosing to die and actual murder. There also needs to be clear definitions explaining the difference between these things. For example, the difference between euthanasia and physician assisted suicide, is that euthanasia is “direct causation of death by a physician” and physician assisted suicide is “prescription of lethal medication to be voluntarily self-administered by a patient” (Goligher et al 2017). The definitions have very slim differences, but it seems to be that what matters is who actually causes the death. Whether or not euthanasia or physician assisted suicide should be illegal are personal and ethical choices. Many people disagree with them because of religious reasons, or because they believe it is better to hold out and let natural death occur. The issue can spiral very quickly, since once people decide it is okay to die with assistance, they may be able to make more concrete decisions about how people pass away. I believe that both euthanasia and physician assisted suicide should be legal. They should only be used as a last resort and in very specific cases. An example of this would be a cancer patient who has used all of the treatment options they can and now wants to die on their own. It is their right as human beings to do so.