Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) give provisions for the people with terminal illness and wish to end their lives to escape more sufferings caused by the illness. They can make decisions to end their life or determine the amount of pain and suffering they wish to endure during the process. This paper seeks to discuss the Oregon law in justifying a dignified death.
The Oregon law on Death with Dignity has been in practice for more than twenty years ( Hedberg & New, 2017 ). Throughout the period, it has been proven to work as intended. There has been no cases or evidence of abuse to patients and their kinsmen reported. Therefore, it has been morally justified. The law assists the patients in making clear clarifications on their decision to end their lives. It is only practiced with the consent of the patient. The morality aspect of Oregon law is addressed through the following acts. The person's consent to decide the time and the manner in which the death will be conducted, the effect of the act on the people participating in the process, the right of the patient to die with dignity, the cost-benefit analysis, preventing the depletion of family property due to patient's medications among other issues.
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The main moral argument for the assisted suicide is that the individual who wishes to take his/her life due to a terminal illness is given the authority to make decisions over his/her life. They are given liberty of interest that include; liberty to experience the quality of life, avoid too much pain and suffering, maintain dignity and liberty to have a sense of control. Sometimes making an independent decision may not be admirable in some instances; like in an older adult who is suffering from terminal illness with less than six months to live. For such a person it might be difficult for him/her to make an independent decision when the family pressure is heated, and the patient is deteriorating. Therefore, the right to make a decision is given to the family members.
The right to die with dignity justifies the Oregon law morally. When a person's health seems to be worsening day by day, he/she should be allowed to die with dignity. It is always painful for relatives to watch their loved ones suffering more and more as they approach their death. The only option remaining that would give them a sense of joy and respect is the assisted suicide. Besides, the assisted suicide is the remaining option when the family has depleted their assets on the medication of the patient. The reason behind it is to relieve the burden from the family.
The physician-assisted suicide constitutes a dignified death. A dignified death is a humane death in which the individual is not reduced to a helpless state that he/she cannot do anything for his/herself. Such kind of death is considered as a respectful one, and the loved ones will endure good memories rather than feel traumatized. The person's last moments in life should not be filled with unending suffering from physical and mental deterioration (Gostin & Roberts, 2016). The physician-assisted death gives a dignified death to an individual since the state of hopelessness and depression in their lives is gone. The relatives will be relieved from the burden of taking care and financial obligation. Though the act does not address the issue of the sanctity of life that life is God-given and He alone has the right to take it, the last impression of a patient should be joyful to the relatives. It enables the family members and friends to give a proper send-off while holding great memories of the person.
The Oregon law has provisions that safeguard against its possible abuses. The process itself is very robust and that each step should be taken seriously. It requires that two physicians should take part in the process; to confirm the patient's request. They will be required to identify and confirm the patient's residence and the diagnosis to ensure that indeed it is a terminal illness. In assessing the voluntariness of the physician-assisted suicide, the physicians should conduct mental wellness tests. The patient should be mentally upright when making such a request to avoid cases of abuse to him/her. There must be two waiting periods in processing the request each fifteen days apart. The first period is between the oral requests done by the patient. He/she is given more time to think about it, and in case he/she changes mind, the second period is a chance to notify the physicians. In the situation that the patient makes clarifies on the matter, the second period is used to give the prescription. The patient should be an adult, 18 years of age and above. This is an age that an individual is considered independent and can make rational decisions. All these provisions attempt to safeguard against the violation of patients' rights to life even when in helpless conditions (DeRook & Kerner, 2015).
In my opinion, the physician-assisted suicide should be legalized throughout the United States since its benefits outweigh its costs. The fact remains that the patient will die within the speculated period and thus untimely death will be no issue as such. The family will be relieved from the burden of taking care of the helpless patient and may not witness the patients’ worst condition that is yet to come. It allows patients to have control over their timing and manner of death which eventually promotes death with dignity. The good thing with this law is that it gives patients a choice to either take it or wait for their death; they are not forced to make such a request. Therefore, the law should be legalized throughout America for patients’ in helpless conditions willing to end their lives to use it. On the other hand, the sanctity of human life as dictated by God is violated. It states that life is God-given and He alone has the right to take it back and thus should not be cut short even when it is out of sympathy for a patient’s severe pain.
References
DeRook, F., & Kerner, S. (2015). Understanding Death with Dignity Legislation: A Necessity for the Palliative Care Provider (FR404). Journal of Pain and Symptom Management , 49 (2), 355-356.
Gostin, L. O., & Roberts, A. E. (2016). Physician-assisted dying: a turning point?. Jama , 315 (3), 249-250.
Hedberg, K., & New, C. (2017). Oregon's Death With Dignity Act: 20 years of experience to inform the debate. Annals of internal medicine , 167 (8), 579-583.
