Physician Assisted Suicide

[Harley-Panda]

The idea of euthanasia will always be a difficult one, and I don't think everyone will ever agree. I think McDowell was wrong in this case - Jeremy was unable to respond to show if he wanted to live or not, and even if it seemed that he had tried to commit suicide that doesn't mean it was his final choice, it was something he did in a split moment of anger, guilt and fear. If someone is in constant pain and chooses to end their life it still may not be what other people would choose for themselves, or think is right, but it definitely isn't something which should be done without thought.

[Mandy Males Cole]

A very difficult issue and one that isn't even clear in the book. It's as if Jeremy's death was acceptable if McDowell did it for the right reasons (to end his suffering), but unacceptable if it was about making McDowell's own life easier. I'm not sure the reasons should matter. One person is still choosing to end another person's life and, in this instance, without his consent.

[Kalin Adi]

I cannot imagine the pain a person may be suffering when having a terminal disease. In the movie "Me Before You" this topic was addressed as well. I'm not living a desperate situation right now, but if I were, I think I'd pray to die but not to be killed.

[MsTri]

I too do not believe in physician-assisted suicide, but I do imagine that if I were to become in a certain condition, I'd decline all but the necessities, like food, water, and possibly painkillers.

[Farmgurl1]

I totally believe people should have a choice about what happens to them. If they want to die and have someone help them out, who am I to say it's wrong? In this particular instance, McDowell was wrong because he did not have consent. In this situation, it was murder.

[abbiejoice]

I believe that a physician should always try to save a life. He cannot create a life, neither must he destroy it.

[Natalie Charlene]

I am for physician assisted suicide, but I think the person needs to have a say. It isn't a decision to make for someone else. (Unless there is brain-death involved, and the person is never going to wake up again). Though I haven't been in the position, so I can't fully know, I think that I would choose assisted suicide over a slow and painful death from irreversible disease.

[charmperit]

It is a difficult decision to make especially in the case of patients who are in coma and vegetable state for several years. Imagining a family with not enough wealth to pay the hospital bills, I couldn't blame them if they would choose euthanasia for the patient. It is a difficult decision to let go of a loved one who is practically not alive and start living for those who are alive.

[jesdav16]

I am totally against suicide in any form. I strongly believe that once there is still life, there is hope.

I am in agreement here. Such a controversial question requires one to examine their beliefs. As for me, I believe that God loves me and has each of my days numbered. Neither I nor my doctor should take the decision out of God's hands.

I agree totally. God must always have the final say.

[bdu15062]

I had mixed feeling about the 'assisted suicide'. It would have been torture if Jeremy had woken up as he would have had to live with the guilt of what he had done and with his disability. I do not agree that Hiram should have intervened and that he should have waited and heard what Jeremy wanted not just assumed that this was what he wanted.

[Kibet Hillary]

The issue of euthanasia is really difficult to approach. Reason itself comes to a point of a standstill at times. For instance, what happens when one wants to have a physician-assisted death while the family does not support it? It becomes a tough ethical issue. The good thing is that in this book, this theme changed a lot in the story.

[Kibet Hillary]

I had mixed feeling about the 'assisted suicide'. It would have been torture if Jeremy had woken up as he would have had to live with the guilt of what he had done and with his disability. I do not agree that Hiram should have intervened and that he should have waited and heard what Jeremy wanted not just assumed that this was what he wanted.

This is true but the other possibility is that some people always learn a lesson the hard way. Perhaps he could have lived to regret it or he could have died anyway.

[revna01]

Hiram may have acted presumptively and it would have been better to fully understand Jeremy's wishes. But that action speaks to the character of Hiram, so although thought-provoking and providing an interesting twist, it wasn't especially shocking.

[Kelyn]

Assisted suicide and euthanasia are two different things. With the former, it is the individual him/herself who has made the decision. I believe this is acceptable if all other options have been exhausted and the individual faces a swiftly decreasing quality of life and/or unrelenting, severe pain for the remainder of their lives. It is their decision to make whether to live with this situation or to "go" while they are still capable of making the decision for themselves. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is someone else deciding for the individual that it is better for them to die (much as we do for pets when necessary, but of course on a much more significant level). This is much less acceptable to me as it may well not honor the individual's wishes, especially if they are no longer capable of expressing them. McDowell's seems much closer to the latter so, no, I cannot say that I agree with him.

[TALIA ONYANGO]

I agree with him. Euthanasia should be legalized where there is no hopes of patient recovery. It is not inhumane and saves the patient and family from much pain.