Today, we live in an era where the average life span has been increases as a result of modern technology; however, sometimes our lives our being prolonged (e.g. given more quantity) at the expense of quality of life. The founding fathers of our nation did not have such technological and ideological issues to debate. In fact, we did not even have penicillin until relatively recently in our history. In short, given that we have been able to live longer, we must understand that there may be times when the quantity of life should not be chosen over the quality of life. Both are equally important, but if there is no quality in one's life, what good is the quantity anyway?
A similar argument may be made against those whom believe that physician-assisted suicide is anti-thetical to Christian values. In fact, when the Bible was written, there was no penicillin to stop an infection and there was no such thing as a respirator or a feeding tube. In the modern era, we have extended the quantity of lives. Was this intended? Even assuming that the addition to life complies with biblical notions, how can we say that a physician's treatment of a terminal illness that ends the additional life is contrary to the life intended by God. Perhaps, God did not intend for us to have medical treatment which artificially sustains life and by artificially sustaining life, that is where the actual contradiction to the Bible occurs. Likewise, the ending of life would also contradict the normal life without medical intervention. Which one is more appropriate or less appropriate is up to the individual's sense of morality and definition of life and death.
Others contend that giving a patient a treatment which is lethal will deter and diminish the palliative care of the patient upon discharge and may lead to the physician just giving up on the patient ("Physicians for Compassionate Care" Pro-Con.org). Thus, the patient may spend his or her days prior to death without receipt of adequate medical care. Indeed, this is an issue to be treated just like any other issue of medical malpractice. The giving of a lethal prescription does not cease a physician's duty of care toward the patient; in fact, some scholars might say it enhances. However, we cannot base the medical care that we provide to patients based upon the fear of potential malpractice. To do so, would mean that doctors in other disciplines would also stop providing medical care for risk of the one or two doctors whom do not live up to his or her duty under the law.
Conclusion
As a result of the disparity between the medical community's opinion and the legal opinions of most courts across the globe which do not support the right to allow patients to partake in euthanasia and the general public's opinion that such a right should be recognized, this is a debate...
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