This document discusses different perspectives on death and dying, including euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. It begins by explaining how medicine has helped prolong life but some choose euthanasia. There are two types of euthanasia: passive involves letting a patient die naturally, while active directly causes death. Physician-assisted suicide allows doctors to provide means for patients to end their lives. The document outlines laws and debates around these topics, including Brittany Maynard's choice of physician-assisted suicide. It concludes that though complex, death choices are ultimately personal decisions.

1. A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying 1
A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying
Ashley Dickson
Seminole State College of Florida

2. A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying 2
Death is known as the end or expiration of a person’s life. Some people live a
long beautiful life, while others may possess a life that was cut short or even taken away
from them. Either way, death is a very hard process and developmental period that may
be difficult for some people, or most people, to handle. In the modern day world, two
new forms of death have become mainstream and are offered under certain
circumstances. These new forms of termination are known as euthanasia and physician-
assisted suicide.
Through the course of time, science and technology have begun to postpone the
actual death of a human being. This is a choice made by the patients, physicians and
people who are involved in a certain person’s life. When a person knows that death is
lingering around the corner, waiting for him or her to give up his or her will to live,
sometimes, they request to be kept alive longer. This is done with certain medications,
therapies and simply, wanting to see special events before they allow death to come and
sweep him or her off her feet. This is also done by “surgery, respirators to facilitate
breathing, shocks to restart the heart, stomach tubes to provide nutrition, and antibiotics
to halt infections” (Berger, 2011 p. Ep-14). One of the best parts of postponing death is
people tend to live “twice as long as the average person did a century ago” (Berger, 2011,
p. Ep-15). Of course, some people do choose to not live longer than they possibly could,
which are why euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are common amongst those who
are knocking on death’s door.
Euthanasia is a form of death that has been debated and discussed since it first
came about. According to Michael Manning, MD (1998), he made a comment about
euthanasia claiming it’s “deliberately putting an end to someone's life in order to spare

3. A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying 3
the individual's suffering,” as well as “a death free of any anxiety and pain,” (Manning,
MD, 1998). Since euthanasia is so common today, there have been two forms of the act
that have impacted everyone involved: passive euthanasia and active euthanasia. Passive
euthanasia is “a situation in which a seriously ill person is allowed to die naturally”
(Berger, 2011, p. Ep-15). In order for passive euthanasia to happen, the patient must have
a DNR (do not resuscitate) order on his or her chart. A DNR is used to remind the
physicians and medical staff to not resurrect a person when he or she can no longer
breathe or is experiencing cardiac arrest. It is normally “a written order from a physician
[that stems from the patient or health care proxy’s request” (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-15).
Even though passive euthanasia is legal in all fifty states and all nations, there is some
controversy with the act. Medical personnel and others who are involved in the science
and use of euthanasia have to make a distinction between removing someone from life
support and not attempting to resuscitate a person (Löfmark et al., 2008, p. Ep-15). This
is because in emergency cases, an emergency room staff may perform certain reviving
tactics on the patient without questioning whether a DNR has been put in place &
regardless of the final outcome (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-15). Aside from this, it is apparent
that many believe that removing someone from life-support is actually not a form of
passive euthanasia, but a form of active euthanasia.
Active euthanasia is not as well known or widely accepted in the medical field
and most nations. This is because active euthanasia “involves directly causing a person’s
death” and it can happen by injecting a lethal drug into the patient (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-
15). Sometimes, this happens because of a lack of confidence and knowledge from the
physician, family and other medical personnel. It has happened before when a physician

4. A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying 4
ends the suffering of a patient because the physician feels there is nothing he or she can
do to save the patient. Sometimes, an illness is terminal and cannot be cured. Sometimes,
a patient is in so much pain that he or she wants it to end immediately. Active euthanasia
is extremely controversial because of all that it entails and it is no wonder why it is illegal
in most nations. The only nations recorded that allow this act to happen (under certain
circumstances) are “the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland” (Berger,
2011, p. Ep-15). Although illegal in most places, it is “rarely prosecuted” in other nations
aside from the four who are legalized (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-15).
Some interesting statistics have been recorded from a survey that was conducted
in the United States in 2008. “A survey of physicians found that while a majority (69
percent) objected to active euthanasia, few (18 percent) objected to sedation that had a
double effect” (McLachlan, 2008; Prado, 2008, p. Ep-15). Another interesting finding
from this survey was about “5 percent objected to withdrawing life support when a
patient was brain-dead” (Curlin et al., 2008, p. Ep-16). This is because a person who is
brain-dead may or may not have been resuscitated while in a coma-like state (Wijdicks et
al., 2010, p. Ep-16).
Aside from passive and active euthanasia, there is another form of death that has
been brought into the spotlight recently. Even though it has been around for quite some
time, physician-assisted suicide has been an option for many in certain nations and states.
Recently, a young woman, Brittany Maynard was given the option of physician-assisted
suicide and she accepted and embraced it. Prior to Mrs. Maynard’s death, she quoted on
October 24th, 2014, “My dream is that every terminally ill American has access to the
choice to die on [his or her] own terms with dignity. Please take an active role to make

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this a reality” (Maynard, 2014). There are many people who share the same viewpoint as
Maynard. However, because physician-assisted suicide is a controversial topic, it is
important to consider both sides and understand this act of death. Physician-assisted
suicide is “a form of active euthanasia in which a doctor provides the means for someone
to end his or her own life” (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-16). As previously stated, this form of
active euthanasia is common and is legal in certain places in the world. The state of
Oregon has become mainstream recently because of Brittany Maynard’s death; she was a
resident of Oregon and opted for this form of death after becoming terminally ill with
cancer. Aside from Oregon, other places such as the Netherlands, Belgium and
Luxembourg and certain western states in the United States allow this form of death. It
wasn’t until 1998 when the first physician-assisted suicide occurred in Oregon after the
passing of the laws in 1994 and 1997. However, other forms of active euthanasia were
not approved (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-16). When requesting this form of death, the patient
must meet the guidelines and have a clear understanding as to what is going to happen
(Buiting et al., 2009, p. Ep-16). In fact, “only half of the patients who ask for help in
dying receive it (one-fourth die before receiving medical approval and one-fourth are
denied or dissuaded” (Jansen-van der Weide et al., 2005). A common practice in the
Netherlands is for a physician to explain the “alternatives” of physician-assisted suicide,
which often results in an “increase on the patient’s pain medication(s)” (Buiting et al.,
2009). Some patients might not have thought every aspect through when it comes to
dealing with his or her terminal illness, which is why it is very important for the patient to
know the consequences and how the process works. In Oregon, according to the law, in
order to “die with dignity,” the terminally ill patient must “(1) be an adult and an Oregon

6. A Controversial Outlook on Death and Dying 6
resident, (2) request the lethal drugs twice orally and once in writing, (3) have fifteen
days that elapse between the first request & prescription of the lethal drugs and (4) have
two physicians that confirm the patient is terminally ill, has less than six months to live
and is competent” (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-16). In some cases, the patients only request to
have the pills for reassurance and sometimes die naturally (Berger, 2011, p. Ep-16).
In my opinion, I believe that death is inevitable, which it truly is. At the end of the
day, it is a person’s decision to choose what they want to do with his or her life. Although
making this type of decision is extremely complex and difficult, participating in any form
of euthanasia, as well as physician-assisted suicide, is as life-changing as choosing what
to eat for breakfast and what classes to take in college. It is also as life changing as
planning a wedding and trying to conceive a child. The bottom line is that euthanasia is a
choice and no one can prevent a person from making that choice. As an adult, I have had
experience with certain disorders and am living with a chronic blood disorder that
fluctuates all the time. However, because I am, fortunately, not terminally ill, I do not
have as much of an understanding as someone who is facing a terminal illness, nor do I
wish to ever have to face one. With that said, if a terminally ill person knows and
understands what choices they may have to make, then it is up to them to decide if they
want to fight his or her illness or die with dignity.
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Works Cited
Berger, K. S. (2011). Death and Dying C. Woods & J. Bayne (Eds.), The Developing
Person Through the Life Span (Ep 1-27). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Manning MD, M. (1998). Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide: Killing or
Caring?. Retrieved from
http://www.euthanasia.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000142
Maynard, B. (2014). Take Action for Brittany. Retrieved from
http://www.thebrittanyfund.org