The idea of helping a patient in great pain commit suicide, known as assisted suicide, is a matter of big debate in Great Britain
The New York Times reported last week that one of Britain’s most prestigious prosecutors created a list of cases in which he would not prosecute people for assisting a suicide in a hospital because he felt the action was justified.
The issue of assisted suicide has been a matter of debate in the United States for many years and the argument is a complex one.
The Daily Tar Heel talked to Donna Helen Crisp, clinical assistant professor at the UNC School of Nursing, about the factors taken into consideration when discussing assisted suicide.
There are religious, political, and ethical reasons which could prevent North Carolina and other states from passing a law allowing assisted suicide, she said.
“These people believe individuals who think otherwise are ill-informed and do not know what is best for themselves,” she said.
There are also people who argue it is medically unethical for a physician to assist in a patient’s suicide because they sign an oath not to do harm, Crisp said.
However, others believe a physician’s job is to be the patient’s advocate. It would be medically unethical not to obey the patients’ wishes that they think would bring them the best quality of life, she said.
What you're saying:
“Besides the fact that money would stop being spent on patients with little chance of success, it is simply the patient’s choice that matters. It is part of his human right.” - Samantha Slaton, senior, biology, Charlotte
“Through assisted suicide a person can be put out of his pain. Looking at it from another perspective, it also means that there would be fewer costs for medical treatment.” -Ashley Hill, a senior chemistry major from Chesapeake, Va.
“At such a point (dying), a patient would have a hard time thinking clearly because they are under so much pain and pressure. They don’t know that things might change in the future.” - Jasmine Gregory, a junior sociology major from Charlotte.
“I would not want to be the doctor conducting this procedure. It’s too permanent of a decision and it would feel like murder,” - Samantha Card, a sophomore biology major from Charlotte
“This is a very conservative state. A lot of other things would become legal before the idea of Assisted Suicide is even mentioned as a possible law to propose.”- Zachary Mcconnell, a sophomore major in music from Charlotte.
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