Healthcare Policy Research Presentation

2. 
Assisted suicide is the common term for actions
by which an individual helps another person
voluntarily bring about his or her own death.
"Assistance" may mean providing one with the
means (drugs or equipment) to end one's own
life.

3. In order for this process to work is that the
patient must be sound mind when they
are requesting the assisted suicide;
 there must be a doctor around and a
couple other witnesses around as well.
 The patient must be diagnosed with a
terminal illness as well.


4. 
It is legal in:
› Washington State
 It was originally initiated in 1994 but
didn’t pass. However, it passed in 2008
› Oregon
 1994 made legal
 Highest Suicide rate than the US. (35%),
(19%)
› Montana
 2009 made legal

5. According to National statistics the US
suicide is the 11th leading cause of
death; it was 33,300 total number of
death in 2006.
 It was the 7th leading cause of death for
males, and 16th leading cause of death
for females.
 Suicide was the third leading cause of
death for young people ages 15 to 24.


6. Economic Impact on the patient’s Family
 Economic Impact on the Hospital
 Economic Impact on Health Plan or Provider
 Economic Impact on Healthcare Spending in U.S


7. 





Legal in many countries around the world
Like The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand
Over 10,000 citizens now carry Do not Euthanize me cards
Educational Seminars in Australia and New Zealand
86% support it in Britain
U.K focuses on palliative care

8. Positive







Human Right of Freedom
Does not burden the
family
Patient does not have to
suffer
Large Mange Care Plans
would Save
Would cut some of the
Deficit
Hospitals would save
Die with Dignity
Negative







Put pressure on Patient with
Mental disorder
Would Target Low income and
some Middle Class
Separation of church and State
(Against Religion)
Doctors Given too much Power
Government insurance
companies, and hospital will
force it
Miracle Cures can and will occur
in Science
History proved it to be bad (Jim
Jones, Hitler, Dr. Korvorkian)

11. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XDOzT3_
HfwI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Rk3ri1ADI
s

12. 34 States have statutes explicitly criminalizing
assisted suicide.
 9 States criminalize assisted suicide through
common law. AL, ID, MD, MS, MI, SC, NV, VT, and
WV
 4 States have ruled that assisted suicide is not a
criminal offense. NC, UT, OH, and WY
 2 States permit physician-assisted suicide
 Virginia is the only state to have no case law
criminalizing assisted suicide.


13. PAS – Legalized in Oregon, Washington and
Montana
 Reasons patients gave requesting PAS in
Oregon:

•
•
•
•
•
•
86% - Decreasing ability to participate in ADLs that made life
enjoyable
100% - Loss of autonomy
86% - Loss of dignity
90% - patients died at home
88% - patients were on hospice
PAS accounts for 15.6 per 10,00deaths in Oregon

14. Canada – PAS is still illegal
 Netherlands:
 * Legal under strict circumstances
 * Remains highly favored
 U.K – Illegal (palliative care)
 Switzerland – penal code does not
condemn assisted suicide
 Belgium and Netherlands - Legal


15. Remains a controversial topic
 The doctors role – “The Hippocratic
Oath”
 Moral religious arguments – murder
 Guilt – patients feel they are burden
 The patient might recover – against all
odds


17. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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http://www.theweek.co.uk/politics/25333/pros-and-cons-assisted-suicide#
http://supremelypsych.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/the-reality-about-physician-assisted-suicide-prosand-cons/
http://paulahenry1.hubpages.com/hub/Is-There-Such-a-Thing-as-an-Ethical-Euthanasia-The-Pros-andCons#
http://dying.about.com/od/physicianassistedsuicide/a/why_PAS.htm
http://www.balancedpolitics.org/assisted_suicide.htm
http://danariely.com/2011/05/05/physician-assisted-suicide-and-behavioral-economics/
http://politix.topix.com/homepage/1055/results?state=1
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/01/18/prsb0118.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide_in_the_United_States
http://www.assistedsuicide.org/