The Pros and Cons Pros The key argument for euthanasia is that all Americans have a constitutional right to life, and that control of life includes the authority to end it. Prohibitions on suicide are viewed by many as a violation of constitutional freedoms and governmental interference. When newly diagnosed with severe diseases or debilitating illnesses, recognize that they will eventually need to end there life. They may seek to end their lives before they endure physical pain. Many people with severe disabilities wish to avoid paying costs of expensive medical.
Of all public controversies in recent years, assisted suicide perhaps is the one surrounded by the greatest degree of misunderstanding. For example, one often hears it referred to as the "right to die." Yet assisted suicide has nothing to do with letting someone die. Neither the law nor medical ethics requires that a person be kept alive by being subjected to unwanted medical treatment (Humphry, 90).
Furthermore, the debate isn't about the tragic, personal act of suicide, nor is it about attempted suicide. Neither suicide nor attempted suicide is considered a criminal act. Instead, the current debate is about whether public policy should be changed in a way that will transform prescriptions for poison into "medical treatment." ((Humphry, 91)
Today most people are fortunate if they see the same doctor from visit to visit and, even when they do, time constraints exist. For example, some managed-care programs expect physicians to limit new-patient visits to 20 minutes and are told to devote no more than 10 minutes to a returning patient. Do we really believe that health plans that limit doctors' time in this manner would let doctors spend hours discussing the pros and cons of assisted suicide before prescribing the fatal dose? (Hora, 46)
