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WebMD Community Talk Show

Serving up a new debate daily, this is the place where putting up your dukes and defending your opinion is encouraged.

Last Reply:

End of Life: The Right to Choose?

Olivia_WebMD_Staff posted:

A Canadian Supreme Court Justice recently ruled in favor of physician-assisted death for some patients in that country, "limited to 'grievously ill, competent, non-ambivalent, voluntary adults' who are fully aware of their diagnosis and have no reasonable treatment options."

This topic has long been under debate here in the United States as well.

Read this story, and then tell us where you stand on the subject.

NOTE: We know this can be a very devisive topic, so please remember to debate the issue and refrain from personal attacks on other members who may not share your opinion. Thank you!

15 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?A Canadian Supreme Court Justice recently <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120615/bc_assisted_suicide_decision_120615/20120615/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome">ruled in favor of physician-assisted death</a> for some patients in that country, "limited to 'grievously ill, competent, non-ambivalent, voluntary adults' who are fully aware of their diagnosis and have no reasonable treatment options." This topic has long been under debate here in the United States as well. Read this story, and then tell us where you stand on the subject. NOTE: We know this can be a very devisive topic, so please remember to debate the issue and refrain from personal attacks on other members who may not share your opinion. Thank you!

Jeune1 responded:

We allow terminally ill people to select and providers to administer palliative care when aggressive measures could keep them alive longer. I could imagine a person refusing to eat or drink, which would be a nasty way to go and would take about 3 - 5 days. Should we then say to this person, nope we're going to stick a feeding tube in you, because we care?

It's an individual's choice made with his health care provider. The state should stay out.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?We allow terminally ill people to select and providers to administer palliative care when aggressive measures could keep them alive longer. I could imagine a person refusing to eat or drink, which would be a nasty way to go and would take about 3 - 5 days. Should we then say to this person, nope we're going to stick a feeding tube in you, because we care? It's an individual's choice made with his health care provider. The state should stay out.

NYSnowflake responded:

My thoughts are this, I think this would be considered committing suicide therefore it is against GOD's Commandment. I mean any person cannot ask for Forgiveness from GOD & then willingly commit suicide. For if anyone should willingly commit suicide they are Dammed in GOD's eyes. Therefore they will have no Eternal Life in Heaven with Our Father. These people should just put their Faith in GOD to handle any circumstance no matter how Unbearable it may be. So needless to say I don't agree with the taking of One's own Life. That's GOD's Decision, not Our's.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?My thoughts are this, I think this would be considered committing suicide therefore it is against GOD's Commandment. I mean any person cannot ask for Forgiveness from GOD & then willingly commit suicide. For if anyone should willingly commit suicide they are Dammed in GOD's eyes. Therefore they will have no Eternal Life in Heaven with Our Father. These people should just put their Faith in GOD to handle any circumstance no matter how Unbearable it may be. So needless to say I don't agree with the taking of One's own Life. That's GOD's Decision, not Our's.

FCL replied to NYSnowflake's response:

Supposing that person were an atheist?

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?Supposing that person were an atheist?

Anon_34374 replied to NYSnowflake's response:

what does God have to do with the State?

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?what does God have to do with the State?

grandmaswan responded:

We R ALL "Children Of The Universe" & We have the Right 2 B Creamated=WHY Not Have the RIGHT 2 B Terminated???
It IS Our Right!!! We SHOULD B Able 2 Make THAT Decision=
Even have a FARE*WELL Party & Not AFTER We R Gone!!!

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?We R ALL "Children Of The Universe" & We have the Right 2 B Creamated=WHY Not Have the RIGHT 2 B Terminated??? It IS Our Right!!! We SHOULD B Able 2 Make THAT Decision= Even have a FARE*WELL Party & Not AFTER We R Gone!!!

grandmaswan replied to NYSnowflake's response:

WHAT U DO With Your Body IS Your Decision & U SHOULD
have the Right 2 Decide, just as U do 2 Not B KEPT ALIVE &
2 B Cremated, etc. GOD Gave U the Right 2 Make Decisions
& Ending Your Life IS 1 of those Rights~GOD Has nothing 2 DO with State & Govt. LAWS!!!

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?WHAT U DO With Your Body IS Your Decision & U SHOULD have the Right 2 Decide, just as U do 2 Not B KEPT ALIVE & 2 B Cremated, etc. GOD Gave U the Right 2 Make Decisions & Ending Your Life IS 1 of those Rights~GOD Has nothing 2 DO with State & Govt. LAWS!!!

grandmaswan replied to FCL's response:

Amen 2 THAT Thot! I AGREE!

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?Amen 2 THAT Thot! I AGREE!

grandmaswan replied to Anon_34374's response:

Absolutely NOTHING!!! Separation of Church & State! And
4 the Atheists, as well~

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?Absolutely NOTHING!!! Separation of Church & State! And 4 the Atheists, as well~

laura2gemini2 responded:

Patients right now have the right to withhold treatment. They have the right not to take their medications. If they are of their right mind, and there is no hope for anything other than being in constant pain and suffering, why not let them decide if they want to continue or not? If the end result is death anyway, why not speed it up to aleviate some of the agony?

As to the "religious implications", the state and church are supposed to be seperate entities. Even if they werent, people do not have the right to cast "God"s judgement. Who are we to say that we know what "He" thinks? If it's wrong, then let "Him" cast judgement. He without sin, etc.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?Patients right now have the right to withhold treatment. They have the right not to take their medications. If they are of their right mind, and there is no hope for anything other than being in constant pain and suffering, why not let them decide if they want to continue or not? If the end result is death anyway, why not speed it up to aleviate some of the agony? As to the "religious implications", the state and church are supposed to be seperate entities. Even if they werent, people do not have the right to cast "God"s judgement. Who are we to say that we know what "He" thinks? If it's wrong, then let "Him" cast judgement. He without sin, etc.

Maggiezbg responded:

I strongly believe that my body belongs to me and no one else has the right to say what happens to it. This is one of the reasons I am a member of the Hemlock Society. I believe I have the right to end my life on my terms and, when the pain outweighs the pleasure, that is my intent. I'm 72, but I've felt this way since I was in my 20's. I'm also fully aware that I might want to hang on kicking and screaming to the very end, but again, it's my choice. That thought gives me a great deal of peace.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?I strongly believe that my body belongs to me and no one else has the right to say what happens to it. This is one of the reasons I am a member of the Hemlock Society. I believe I have the right to end my life on my terms and, when the pain outweighs the pleasure, that is my intent. I'm 72, but I've felt this way since I was in my 20's. I'm also fully aware that I might want to hang on kicking and screaming to the very end, but again, it's my choice. That thought gives me a great deal of peace.

PooperScooper22 responded:

I find it difficult to justify taking one's own life. However, I have had to witness a family member struggle through pain and suffering for months just to hang on to a lousy state of living only to die a miserable death. In that case I would leave it to the patient and healthcare professionals overseeing them, because, frankly, it's not my place to dictate someone else's personal decisions.

That being said, if it were me in this situation, I would never opt to take the easy way out, we never know what good might come out of even a slightly extended existence, every second counts. I also don't want to leave a legacy where I simply quit and gave in to fear. I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?I find it difficult to justify taking one's own life. However, I have had to witness a family member struggle through pain and suffering for months just to hang on to a lousy state of living only to die a miserable death. In that case I would leave it to the patient and healthcare professionals overseeing them, because, frankly, it's not my place to dictate someone else's personal decisions. That being said, if it were me in this situation, I would never opt to take the easy way out, we never know what good might come out of even a slightly extended existence, every second counts. I also don't want to leave a legacy where I simply quit and gave in to fear. I hope I didn't ruffle any feathers.

brunosbud replied to NYSnowflake's response:

NYSnowflake,

We all put our faith in God. We are all believers. We all worship. Your insistence on doing it "your" way gets in the way of you understanding this...Be well; See ya on the other side, snowflake.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?NYSnowflake, We all put our faith in God. We are all believers. We all worship. Your insistence on doing it "your" way gets in the way of you understanding this...Be well; See ya on the other side, snowflake.

syndib responded:

I think everyone should have the right to physician-assisted death. I have seen to many loved ones suffer beyond belief, and watched the family and friends in agony wishing their loved one would pass. I know I would use physician-assisted death if I needed it and had the choice. We don't have any say about being brought into this world so let us leave it as we choose.

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?I think everyone should have the right to physician-assisted death. I have seen to many loved ones suffer beyond belief, and watched the family and friends in agony wishing their loved one would pass. I know I would use physician-assisted death if I needed it and had the choice. We don't have any say about being brought into this world so let us leave it as we choose.

ExperiencedOne replied to NYSnowflake's response:

Have you even been around a loved one in there last days? Had a loved one with cancer? Many people suffer extensively for years with cancer treatments. Loved one's may want the sick person to continue but pain can only be tollerated for so long. that is the person needs god's blessing and foregiveness

Report This| Share this:End of Life: The Right to Choose?Have you even been around a loved one in there last days? Had a loved one with cancer? Many people suffer extensively for years with cancer treatments. Loved one's may want the sick person to continue but pain can only be tollerated for so long. that is the person needs god's blessing and foregiveness

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